Jedi Exile Book I: Struggle
by Caleb's Fanfiction Creations
Summary: The story of a Jedi Knight whose ideals and the Will of the Force drive him apart from the Jedi Council, and of the experiences with all sides of the Force that come from this. Currently under rewrite and soon to be reposted in a new format. This version is under permanent hiatus.
1. Prologue and Chapter 1: Top of the Class

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**PROLOGUE**

**Olederadi, fifty-four years after the Battle of Yavin**

_He should have acted sooner. If only his cowardice had not prevailed. Had he not seen this outcome? Had he not seen the sacrifice that he needed to make. Why had he been unable to accept what the Force had in store for him? Why had he not been able to throw himself into his destiny? Had those thirty years of solitude and reflection taught him nothing? If only he had not been such a coward. Kye Nareac, now only charred remains, Sharad Bark, his unmoving chest still smoking from the wound that had ended his life, Celia Othi, whose body now lay in a lifeless heap. They could still be alive had he acted sooner. All those who had died this day could have been alive had he only had the courage to accept his fate._

_But enough. No more waiting. No more fears. No more hoping that he would be shown a different way. He stepped forward, reaching into the Force. He glanced around at his remaining comrades, making sure they would be able to prevail through his sacrifice. How few of them were left now. Of all the Jedi who had began in this struggle against this menace only Jacien remained. He was indeed a child of the Force. Of all the great Jedi who had died this day only Jacien still stood strong. Saolin Feng laid, barely moving, blood still pouring from where his arm used to be. Tarae Leehl rose unsteadily, her clothes smoking from the barrage of Dark energy that had assaulted her. Of all them, only Jacien remained untouched, though he could not fight the menace for much longer._

_All eyes focused on the one who they fought. Aelitou. Self-proclaimed Sith Lady and now imbued with the maleficent power of countless Sith Lords of old. Dark energy surged off of her, threatening to drown any who maintained contact with it. It was intoxicating. It called to him, urging him to give in to its lull as he had so many times in the past. He had to fight it. He had to remain free of its influence. Especially now. It would take all of his willpower, all of his resolve to do what needed to be done in order to defeat Aelitou. Once, she had been his greatest accomplishment; now she was his utmost failure. If not for his training of her this war would never have begun. If not for his training her in the ways of the Dark Side countless lives would not have ended so needlessly. He had to be the one to end this. This sacrifice would leave her vulnerable, enough so that Jacien would be able to destroy her and end this bloodshed._

_All he had to do was sacrifice himself. All he had to do was call upon the brightest Light of the Force. In the end, Light would chase away the Dark. With his sacrifice, these long-dead ghosts of ancient Sith would once more be banished into the Netherworld of the Force, never again to plague the living. All he had to do was fully give himself over to the Light and triumph over the Darnkess. He knew what the cost would be. He knew that he would not be able to carry on in life after this decision. But hadn't he always known? Hadn't the Force for years know whispered to him of his fate? And hadn't he shied away from his destiny when at any time he could have ended this misery? Takiden, Shivia, Galagri, Rantoth, Muchian and Ulic Kedrima, Plo and Dotina Bark. All of them had died because of his cowardice. But no more. It was time to embrace his destiny. It was time to accept his fate. It was time to insure that Aelitou would never end another life. It was time for him to finally make up for all the evils he had committed. From when he first felt the Darkness on Tartania all the way to the murder of Azarp Bark above Sullust. It was time to let go of all the Darkness that still tainted his soul. It was time to finally do the right thing. It was time to finally follow the will of the Force rather than pursue his own desires. It was time to truly be the Jedi Reesa had always said he would be._

_It was with that thought that Nioman Dokoora finally accepted his destiny._

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**Brought to you by Caleb's Fanfiction Creations**

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**All Star Wars characters and events belong to Disney**

**Everything else probably belongs to me**

**As much as I'd love to I don't actually make money off of this, lucky readers!**

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**And now, I proudly present:**

**THE JEDI EXILE:**

**NIOMAN DOKOORA**

**Part I: The Jedi Years**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Top of the Class<strong>

**53 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman Dokoora, twelve-year-old Jedi Initiate, had just passed the test that qualified him to be chosen as a padawan by a Jedi Knight. He wasn't at all surprised and was sure no one else was either. As it was, he and his two best friends, Mace Windu and Sora Bulq, were, without a doubt more talented than anyone else in their age group. If a Master caught Nioman thinking like that he would be berated for arrogance but to him it was perfectly evident. He had received plenty of grudging praise from Battlemaster Tor Difusal, maybe not so much as Mace had but Nioman believed that had more to do with Master's Difusal's poor opinion of him. He didn't know what about him bothered the Master, and most others if he thought about it; he wasn't rude to them and he didn't outwardly look down on the other initiates. But that was just a fact of life that Nioman had become used to, even though he didn't understand it, nor did he believe it was at all warranted.

Nioman, Mace, and Sora had moved away from the bustling crowds and were busy relating their achievements to one another. Mace recounted how he had dismantled all of the training droids and forced Master Rancisis to duel him so as to get an accurate gauge on his ability. Sora told of how he had lifted Master Yaddle's seat during telekinesis testing but had lost concentration at the delighted grin the Master had assumed, only for Yaddle's chair to crash to the floor, leaving the Master somewhat less pleased than before. It was no surprise, really, that the three of them had become great friends as they achieved far higher scores in everything than their peers. They were not at all surprised when Masters Yaddle and Difusal, the facilitators of the test, gave them all top scores. The three boys had no doubt they they would all be picked as padawans by the end of the month. Dozens of Jedi Masters, even some of the top names in the order, had taken an interest in them, it was only a matter of who would get to them first.

"Don't be so proud of yourselves," said a voice behind them as they exited the testing chambers, " Those scores aren't any higher than what I received."

It was Tyrone Dooku, Nioman's least favorite Jedi. Padawn Dooku was nineteen, he had been apprenticed to the greatly acclaimed Thame Cerulian, but, for unexplained reasons, was handed over to Master Yoda for training. Despite being six years their senior, Tyrone seemed to never pass up the chance to bother the trio. Nioman didn't know what Tyrone had against them, he would have thought it was envy but he had heard how Tyrone was basically idolized by the High Council, which Nioman didn't understand at all. How could the Council, supposedly so wise, be so mistaken with Tyrone. Nioman had wanted to confront the Jedi Order's ruling body over this issue but Mace had talked him out of it, saying how it wouldn't do them any good and how, at such a critical time in their training, the last thing they needed was a bad reputation with the Council.

"Go away, Tyrone," warned Sora, "Just because your scores were this good doesn't take away from the fact that ours are as well."

"Tut, tut," chided Dooku, "Is that pride I hear. You know that the Jedi Council says about that."

"I could go in there and inform Master Yaddle that you are preventing us from achieving our true potential because your jealous of us," threatened Nioman, earning a sharp glance from Mace, "you know what the Council says about jealousy."

"Jealousy is the path to corruption, a trait of which a Jedi has no use," said Sora, quoting Master Yoda.

"Fine, complain to Master Yaddle," encouraged Dooku, "But remember what happened the last time you whined to the Council. It only tarnishes their opinion of you. And at this crucial stage of your life...well you wouldn't want not to be chosen would you?"

"You're a conceited bastard," scorned Nioman.

"Oh, dear. That isn't something you would want one of the Jedi Masters overhearing."

"Maybe I don't care," said Nioman, reaching for his lightsaber.

"Nioman," Mace pleaded, "Don't do this, not now."

Nioman looked around and, to his shock saw the tall, horned figure of Master Difusal approaching them.

"Ah, Tyrone," the Master said as he neared the four young Jedi, "congratulating the star initiates, I see. Good, they could use your example."

"That's hardly-" Sora began before his mouth clamped shut. His eyes widened as he turned to stare at Mace, whose attention was still on Master Difusal though Nioman could see the Korun's fist closed behind his back. Wow, using the Force to shut Sora up, that was impressive.

"However," continued Difusal as if there had been no interruption, "Tyrone, I must request that you go now to my sparring quarters, I have some time away from my duties that would be well spent honing your skills."

"Of course, Master Difusal," said Tyrone with a little bow as he strode off to do the Master's bidding. Nioman had to hold back a grimace at that little display. Difusal wasn't even Tyrone's Master, so why was he doing Master Yoda's job? Oh yes, because Tyrone was such a star in the Order, the greatest since Master Cerulian and all those other praises that every Jedi showering him with. Just disgusting.

"Padawans," Difusal said, finally addressing Nioman, Mace, and Sora, "you have all done well, I must say. Mace, you score in the leadership department was perfect and you two each did quite well yourselves. However," he warned, his features becoming more stern as even his posture straightened, "you must not let that pride give you false confidence and mistaken ideas of yourselves. You have strong abilities, yes, but that doesn't make you better, nor does it mean that you contain no flaws. Tyrone is a perfect example of someone in your position who handled the pressure in the best possible way. In fact, if you ever have concerns I'm sure he'd be willing to help."

"Somehow I doubt that," muttered Nioman.

"Nonsense," scolded Master Difusal, his arms crossing as he all-but-glared down at Nioman, "Padawan Dooku has always had a willing heart and never hesitates to pass on his knowledge to others."

At that, even Mace raised his eyebrows in disbelief but none of the initiates said anything. Sora, Nioman suspected, was still being restrained by Mace while Nioman, despite his longing to protest what the Master had said, knew speaking wouldn't do him any good.

"I'm sure we'll all keep that in mind," said Mace, his face twitching a little.

"Good," said Master Difusal, "that more like it. Now I have an appointment to meet. Keep out of trouble."

The boys shared looks ranging from Mace's skepticism to Sora's bordering on outrage. Nioman tried to keep himself calm. If he was going to get angry over something it needed to be an issue of more importance than this. Still, he couldn't believe Tyrone had the Masters so enchanted by him. How in the Force did he pull that off? Nioman wished there was Jedi Master he was comfortable enough with to bring up the issue but that wasn't going to happen, especially on the subject of Tyrone Dooku. Most likely, he'd just receive a reaction like the one he had gotten from Master Difusal.

Deciding it was best not to discuss the issue in public, three boys returned to their quarters, wondering what the coming days would bring. The next few days would decide who their Jedi Masters would be, one of the most crucial times in any Jedi's life as one's master would have a substantial role in shaping the sort of Jedi he would become. Maybe he was being selfish, but Nioman wished that an influential Jedi master would choose him, maybe even someone on the High Council. Many well-known masters had taken an interest in his and his friends' progress. He felt that they deserved masters would have the ability to unlock his their full potential. If they had that, Nioman felt there was nothing stopping them from becoming the greatest Jedi of the century. Was that pride? He didn't know. Jedi weren't supposed to be prideful of their abilities but right now Nioman didn't care. Nothing could stop him, he would show Tyrone Dooku who the better Jedi was. He would humiliate the arrogant padwan in front of the Council if he could. He would be the greatest Jedi ever and nobody would stop him.

**A/N: I hope you liked the prologue. As I'm intending on making this a series you will probably not actually see that scene for a very long time but still...one of the best ways to start a story is with something like that. As for the chapter, I know it was short (especially compared to the 3-4,000 word long giants I have been writing recently but it is a good way to set up the characters and does hold a bit of foreshadowing for Nioman eventual fate (as in this book, not the series itself. Also, Dooku's first name, Tyrone, was taken from Candace Marie's Different Destiny and Twist of Fate.**

**For more exciting info visit my profile or visit the "Discussion for the world of Different Destiny and related stories' forum that Candace and I are now hosting.  
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**Any sort of feedback is appreciated, whether as a review here or on the forum. Good, bad, and ugly (though preferably good XD)**

**And I am taking story suggestions though I will probably not do anything involving the main Star Wars characters, for that ask my good friend Candace Marie (though she is bogged down in her own stories right now)**

**And make sure to check out Candace's stories, they're great. Especially Transcending Tyrannus, which is the life story of Dooku and where you can get a more...sympathetic view on him.**

**Sorry for what may be a contender for world's longest author's note, it wont happen again. And please keep reading, the story only gets better from here.**

**Sincerely, Caleb's Fanfiction Creations.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Final Test

**Chapter 2: The Final Test**

**53 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Today was what the young initiates at the Jedi Temple called "Inspection Day". It was the last chance for potential apprentice-getters to speak with and review the skills of the initiates before they could be officially chosen as padawans. Nioman found it amusing to watch the respectable Jedi Masters politely vie over initiates. Rarely did these little conflicts amount to much, Jedi were all about following the "will of the Force", but there were sometimes occasions where several Jedi would politely insist that the Force willed for them to train a certain initiate. Oddly enough, or not, these masked quarrels always centered around very promising initiates who had received excellent scores on the tests. Nioman had mentioned this once to Mace and Sora and while Mace had reprimanded him on the grounds that he was being disrespectful they had both been amused.

Nioman did try his best not to show off more than was called for but it was hard. He wanted so badly to impress the Jedi masters and sometimes he would see one of his peers perform so badly at something that he felt a great urge to show everyone how it was really done. Throughout the day, Jedi would come up to him and ask to see him perform different actions or quiz his knowledge of the Force and of Jedi history and teachings. One Jedi knight had even asked to duel him. To his immense pleasure, Nioman defeated the Jedi Knight in front of several other Jedi. Nioman hoped that he wouldn't be picked by that knight. He didn't want a master who he was already more powerful than. He didn't want initiate training again, he yearned for a master that could really teach him and allow him to excel in his abilities. He wanted a master that could aid in making him a great Jedi, no, the greatest Jedi. For that, Nioman would need someone from the highest level of Jedi, someone who could challenge him and that he could strive to overcome.

The day was nearing its end, another hour or so and the prospective padawans would be placed in specific quarters where they would be chosen as apprentices by a Jedi Kinight. Those not picked by nightfall would return to their quarters and wait there. Nioman was talking with Mace and Sora about which Jedi were most likely to choose them when Nioman heard his name being spoken by some Jedi behind him, though it didn't sound directed at him. Nevertheless, he turned around and saw two Jedi several feet away having a muttered conversation. One was a fairly young woman whom Nioman recognized as Master Reesa Doliq, one of the Jedi who had supervised some of their activities. The other, to Nioman's pleasure and mild shock was Jedi Councilor Ramo Batrorio

"I just don't know if you can handle someone like him yet," said Master Batrorio, "he has a great deal of power which will need to be honed with care and he also has an issue with pride. I've dealt with others like him."

"Master, I want this opportunity." argued Reesa, "I want to be challenged by a padawan. Warren was great but he wasn't a challenge for me, I want someone who will force me to improve as a Jedi in order to keep up."

"I don't doubt your capabilities, I just need to insure that he is brought up properly. In a circumstance like this, with someone already so powerful, it becomes a matter of interest for the Council."

"You mean that the Council assigned you to train Dokoora. Because they have special interests in him."

"I did not say that, I chose him on my own. I think that he is very intriguing and that he needs a master who has previous experience with others like him."

"I know you've been successful with that, you trained me after all, but I want this opportunity and I may not get it again. Rarely do we see anyone with so much potential."

"Which is why I need to insure that he becomes an asset."

"Master, I don't know how I can change your mind on this but I feel the Force calling me on this. I've never felt anything like it. Other Jedi have said that it is common to get this feeling when choosing a padawan learner. I think I'm meant to train him."

Master Batrorio sighed, "Fine, Reesa. You can train him. I have complete faith that you will train him well. If you ever are unsure of how to proceed, I will be here to advise you to the best of my ability."

"Thank you, Master."

As the two Jedi departed Nioman heard Sora say, "Nioman, hey, did you hear me or what."

"Huh?, no."

"What were you looking at over there?"

"Oh, you weren't eavesdropping on those Jedi masters were you?" guessed Mace with disapproval.

"No, well, I guess. They were talking about me, though."

"What did they say?" Sora questioned, leaning in, "Is Master Batrorio going to pick you as a padawan? he's on the Council-"

"Sora!" chided Mace, "don't get so excited, he shouldn't be listening on them."

"I couldn't help it. What would you do if you heard someone on the Council talking about you?"

"I don't know" admitted Mace, "I know this is so big and I'm excited too, but what if they caught you." Today is the absolute worst day to get in trouble."

"Okay, it was bad, I know, stop shoving it in my face. No one found out and it wasn't something huge."

"Like calling Tyrone a conceited bastard," suggested Sora.

"Stop pestering him," said Mace, "but, Nioman, you need to be more careful."

"I know, alright, just get off my back."

Just then, Master Yaddle's voice rang out, "Attention! Depart for waiting quarters, the young ones must. Three hours you have to be chosen by a Jedi Master. Then, to bed you must go, for even if not chosen tonight, means not that happen later it will not. Now, go you all must, and with you, may the Force be!"

All of the initiates separated to wait in the waiting quarters that had been specifically built for this purpose. They offered an opportunity for Jedi to speak with their future apprentices with complete privacy. They also insured that the initiates would not know until who had been chosen yet and by whom until the following day.

Nioman paced his room, waiting for Master Doliq to arrive and inform him that he would become her apprentice. Nioman still wasn't sure what he thought of his future master. He had hoped to become the padawan learner of someone on the Council, maybe even Yoda, though that would have been impossible as Yoda already had a padawan named Ki-Adi Mundi. Nioman knew that Reesa Doliq was a respected Jedi Master, even at a fairly young age, but he had no idea if she would be able to maximize his potential. Regardless, the decision was made, he just hoped that she would come soon. If had hadn't been chosen by tomorrow morning and his friends had, he didn't know what he would do.

_You must have patience, Nioman._

"What!" Nioman started. Someone, a woman, had just spoken inside his head. He had never felt anything like it before, not when in the presence of the Council, not even when speaking to telepathic Saesee Tiin. It had come from everywhere, yet nowhere. It was is if this person, however was speaking to him, was looking inside his very soul and that disturbed Nioman deeply.

_Do not be alarmed, the Force is with you. You will be a great Jedi, but you must have patience._

"Where are you!" Nioman nearly screamed.

_Be calm. A Jedi must be able to handle any situation._

"Who are you?, Show yourself!"

_Relax. Calm yourself; then I will speak with you._

Nioman took a deep breath. Be calm? How was he supposed to do that? He had just suffered the most unnerving experience in his life. It was as if she had seen inside him, like she had seen into every secret thought, every suppressed desire. Yet she expected him to be calm, this person, whoever had done that. It was a test, he knew it. It was meant to catch him completely off guard and to see how he would handle the pressure and the shock of it. He needed to get control over the torrent of emotions that stormed through him. He needed to show that he could handle the strain of it. He needed to overcome everything his mind and body told him to do. The urges to run, to scream, to flee from this presence, he had to control them.

"Where are you? Please, show yourself." He pleaded, it was the best he could do at the moment.

_Reach out with your mind. Find me._

"How? We aren't able to sense anything with the Force inside the cells."

_Have faith. The Force will be your guide._

Nioman slowly spread his mind outwards. It was exactly what the initiates had been told not to do. They had been told that they would be unable to sense anything outside the walls of their rooms and that it would be foolish to try. Nevertheless, Nioman extended his consciousness, desperate to find the person who was tormenting him so. It felt like hours that he searched, finding nothing. Soon his mind was completely exhausted but every time he began to give up he was urged on again by the voice in his head. At one point he felt very strongly that he had touched something but then it vanished. Completely. Even the traces he had felt before were gone. Then Master Doliq entered the room.

"Well done, my new apprentice." she said with a smile.

"It was you." realized Nioman, his words slurred withe exhaustion, "You're the one who spoke in my mind."

"Yes, it was me. I am very impressed, young one. Even I was unsure if you would succeed. I do not believe that anyone has ever broken through the barriers of this place."

"But...the things...that you saw in me."

"Indeed. I saw all that you were, that you are, and all that you aspire to become. But I will not judge you based on the shadows of your mind. All Jedi have secrets that they do not share, yet if we discriminated against them, there would be no Jedi Order. Despite what the Council may say, I believe that you will be a great Jedi, perhaps the greatest Jedi, just as you dream of. For now, though, you must rest. I will return to you in the morning.

**A/N: Not particularly long either but it has a lot of weight to the story. A lot of the main purpose for the early chapters is to see into Nioman's past and the things that get him to where he eventually becomes. And I felt that combining it with the events that take place in the next chapter would make it too long and take it out of focus. This is a nice place to end a chapter so I left it here. Review and tell me what you think of Nioman, as well as any tips to improve my writing.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Jedi Masters

**Chapter 3: The Jedi Masters**

**53 years before Revenge of the Sith**

As she had promised, Master Ressa Doliq returned to Nioman the next morning.

"It is soon time for the padawan ceremony, there you will choose which branch of Jedi service you wish to enter. After the ceremony, I will take you to Ilum where you will build your lightsaber."

"Master, last night. What happened, was it real? The memories are so clear but how could that be possible?"

"Anything is possible with the Force, my young apprentice. I needed to know what you were truly made of and now I do. I am immensely proud of your performance last night. No one that I know could have done that at your age, not even Master Yoda."

"You really believe that? You aren't just trying to boost my confidence?"

"Truly. Though few Jedi have ever been tested in such a way. But you must know, I will never say anything to you that I do not believe. I believe that it is crucial that you know exactly what your strengths and your faults are. I will do nothing simply to raise or lower your confidence, only to inform you of what I see. I believe that a Jedi can only be truly great if he knows exactly what his strengths and weaknesses are and the extent of them. Otherwise, he will be deluded either with false pride or be held back without the knowledge of the full extent of his powers. Honesty with oneself is the greatest trait a Jedi can have."

"Thank you for your confidence, master."

"You will be great. I can see that much of your future. However, you must not rush to achieve prominence. That respect will come with time as the Force wills."

"Yes, master."

"Now, we must hurry to the ceremony that will officially place you under my tutelage."

When they entered the chamber where the ceremony was to take place there were several Jedi already there but more were still filtering in. The chamber itself was huge, with the ceiling fifty feet above them. It glowed with a pulsating red light that somewhat unnerved Nioman. One one end of the room stood a dais where the Masters of the Ceremony, in this case Masters Yaddle, Rancisis, and Batrorio, would address the crowd and give the traditional speeches of the Padawan Ceremony. Soon everyone had arrived and Master Rancisis began the ceremony.

"Welcome, masters, knights, and padawans. Once again we give our thanks to the fully fledged members of our order for their eager participation in the sacred duty of training the next generation of Jedi. For thousands of years our order has been built on such commendable service and now we gather to celebrate it once again and to welcome sixteen new members of the Jedi Order."

He then went on to name each of the initiates that was to begin training as padawans that year. Mace and Sora were, of course, on that list. Then, Master Rancisis addressed all of the Jedi who had taken up the duty of training these young entrees into the Order, thanking them once again for their rigorous participation in this most hallowed duty of the Jedi. He then explained the three major paths of duty that a Jedi could take. Guardians, who defended the order and the Republic from the strife of the Galaxy. Consulars, who used their powers of negotiation and dedication to the Force to win over opponents. And Sentinels, who were the last line of defense for the Order and who protected the Temple and its secrets from the Sith. He also named other, specialized courses that a Jedi could take, such as a historian, an explorer, or a teacher at the Temple.

"And now," Master Rancisis concluded, "I will up each Jedi Knight to give his or her oath of dedication to the service of training his or her chosen apprentice and each initiate to swear his or her oath of allegiance and fealty to the Jedi Order and the High Council that governs it, and to choose a path of service to the Order."

They went in alphabetical order to Sora was first. Nioman was surprised and proud to see that Sora had been chosen by none other than Tor Difusal,a Chagrian Jedi Master who was second only to Master Yoda on the Jedi Council. Each said his oaths and Sora chose the path of a Guardian and the blue blade that went with it. Then came a female initiate named Alla Carbovi and the Jedi Knight who had chosen her. Then it was Nioman's turn.

"Master Reesa Doliq," announced Rancisis, "will you please step forward with Nioman Dokoora."

Together they walked up to the dais. Master Rancisis was already taller than most supported by his long, serpentine tentacle and on the dais he towered over Nioman, which was more than a little intimidating. Master Rancisis had a reputation as one of the stricter Jedi Masters and Nioman didn't wan't to be on the Thisspiasian's bad side. Master Rancisis addressed Reesa first.

"Reesa Doliq, you have chosen Nioman Dokoora as your apprentice. Do you, on your honor as a Jedi, swear to train him in the Principles of the Jedi, to instruct him in the knowledge of the Force, and to train him in the understanding of the Jedi Code, to the best of your abilities?"

"Yes, Master Rancisis, I do."

"Nioman Dokoora, Master Reesa Doliq has offered to train you in the ways of the Jedi Order. Do you accept this offer?"

"I do."

"And do you swear to uphold the values and teaching of the Jedi Order and to respect and obey your master on your honor as a Jedi."

"I do."

"Then I pronounce you, Nioman Dokoora, as a member of the Jedi Order under the tutelage of Master Doliq until she deems you fit for the bestowal of knighthood. Now you must choose your branch of service."

Until this morning, Nioman had been certain that he would take the path of a Jedi Guardian as Mace and Sora were. However, as he thought about it in his meditation this morning, he felt the desire to take a different path than that taken by the majority of Jedi. He hoped he wasn't making a hasty, spur-of-the-moment decision. He had thought it over a great deal and it felt right. He wondered if it would affect his career. There were far less Jedi in this field than as Guardians but he may not get so much attention there. Regardless, his mind was made up. He hoped that it was the Force he felt calling him, urging him on.

"I have chosen the path of a Sentinel and the yellow blade that goes with it." Nioman announced to Master Rancisis and the crowd.

There was a collective intake of breath from the audience. Few Jedi ever chose the path of a Sentinel. Few even knew what duties that path involved. Perhaps that was part of the reason that so few Jedi ever chose that path. It was a mystery to them. They would go off to be either Guardians or Consulars, rarely ever encountering a Jedi of the third branch. Nioman himself knew close to nothing, the basic teachings rarely spoke of Sentinels, only that they were the protectors of the Jedi Temple and the watchers of activity by the Sith. That was part of the reason Nioman had chosen that path, the mystery of it. Learning more about such an undercover group of Jedi and what all they did. And perhaps, in a darker part of his soul, he wished to discover just what Jedi secrets they guarded.

"Very well," proclaimed Master Rancisis, "Nioman Dokoora, you will join the ranks of the Jedi Sentinels. Master Doliq, do you have anything you wish to say about Padawan Dokoora before we move on?"

"Yes, I do" answered Master Doliq, "I realize that some on the High Council may have their doubts about my new apprentice. They believe that he is arrogant and unstable, that he will be unable to serve the Jedi Order. I do not believe this. He has immense powers that may need to be harnessed but he does hold a great deal of control over himself. He is resolute and loyal to the Jedi. Yes, there is some darkness hidden in him but we all have a darkness of some kind and I believe wholeheartedly that he can overcome it. We all have faults to overcome. His may seem to be more pronounced to you but he is strong and determined and he will not let his friends down. On my honor as a Jedi I tell you that he will succeed and become great in the Jedi Order. That is all, thank you."

"Strong words," noted Master Rancisis after exchanging glances with the other masters on either side of him, "Commendable to put so much at risk for the sake of your padawan. I very much hope that he does not let you down."

The room had gotten very tense all of a sudden. Nioman realized what Master Doliq had done. She was not only sticking her neck out for him but telling the Council that she disagreed with their judgment and that she would prove them wrong in the end. Nioman was honored by her belief in him but also embarrassed that so much had been said. Nothing of the sort had happened with Sora. Was it that the Council felt that he was less trustworthy than his friends? Did they believe that he might question their judgment or even turn his back on the Jedi? That his pride was any greater than Sora's or Mace's. Then he realized something. Sora had been chosen by none other than Tor Difusal, one of the highest members of the Council. And Nioman had been intended to be placed under the training of Master Batrorio, another respected Council member, until Master Doliq interfered with the Council's plan and took Nioman for herself. So that meant the Council was trying to put Nioman and his friends under the watchful eye of the Jedi Council. The Council wanted to insure that it was in direct control of the three initiates. Nioman couldn't see Mace but he was sure that his friend would be with another member of the Council.

Sure enough, once all the other initiates had been declared padawans, Mace walked up to the dais with T'ra Saa, a female Neti who was another member of the Jedi Council. Mace, as expected, chose the blue blade of a Jedi Guardian. Then Master Saa gave a little speech about Mace's incredible talent and how she was sure he would succeed readily and rise quickly through the Order. It didn't feel phony, as Nioman had expected it to be, but the Neti's words were carefully chosen, as if she was trying to mend the tension that had arisen during Master Doliq's speech. After that, Master Rancisis gave another speech and then dismissed the assembled Jedi. The older Jedi dispersed while Master Yaddle led the new padawans to their new quarters in the main residential area of the Jedi Temple. Nioman had never been to that part of the Temple before, he had never needed to and initiates were generally restricted to the training area or the archives. As they walked to their new home, Mace, Nioman, and Sora joined each other near the back of the group to discuss the day's events.

"When did you decide you were gonna be a Sentinel, man?" asked Sora, "Did you see the expression on Rancisis's bushy face when you said it's what you wanted to be, he never saw _that_ coming!"

"This morning," Nioman replied, "It just felt right. And it will be cool learning what Sentinels do, I mean, what do we really even know about them."

"Never really thought about it," admitted Mace, "guess you don't normally think about Sentinels. Just Guardians and Consulars."

"You could have told us though," complained Sora, "I was totally shocked when you said that."

"I didn't have a chance to." defended Nioman, "I said that I only decided this morning and we had the ceremony right after that."

"What was that master lady of yours talking about up there an why was Old Oppo so mad about it?" Asked Sora.

"Just...um...I don't really feel like talking about it." said Nioman, trying to avoid the subject.

"Aw, come one, man."

"Sora," said Mace, "he said he didn't want to talk about it now so just drop it."

That is what Nioman appreciated about Mace. There may have been things that Nioman could share with Sora that he couldn't with Mace but he knew he could always count on Mace to support him when Sora kept badgering him like that. Mace could just accept that Nioman didn't want to talk at the moment and didn't make a fuss about it. Sora could be understanding of things, things that Mace would disapprove of, but Mace didn't hesitate to stand up for a friend, even if it meant upsetting Sora. In some ways the three of them were so different. But they are all so gifted in their connection to the Force and their natural reflexes and that had brought them together. But it was the friendship that had come from that shared quality that had kept them so close.


	4. Chapter 4: The Crystal Cave

**Chapter 4: The Crystal Cave**

**53 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Two days after the Initiation Ceremony Reesa told Nioman that she was taking him to Ilum so he could build the lightsaber that he would use for the rest of his life. He had originally wanted to go with Mace and Sora but she told him that the construction of his lightsaber should be an experience shared only by master and padawan. For the first hour or so there was silence between them as Reesa's shuttle flew them to the crystal world of Ilum. Nioman was a little uncomfortable with the silence but he didn't know what he should say. He decided that if his master wanted to talk about something she would. Finally she spoke.

"Have you decided yet which form of lightsaber combat you will choose to study initially? I know that the basic teaching only uses Forms I and II so many padawans start there so it is up to you. I'm sure you will find that the form you choose now will not be the same one that you use twenty years from now. Many Jedi try to become proficient in all seven forms while some specialize in only one or two."

"I haven't thought about it much." Nioman answered honestly, "The lessons at the Temple have explained all seven but I would like to hear what you think about each of them."

"Alright" she answered, "First there is Form I, Shii-Cho, which is considered the most basic form of lightsaber combat though it is still used by many masters today. It was developed before the arisal of the Sith so there is poor focus on hand-to-hand combat, though it is preferred by many in a chaotic battle situation when many blasters are being fired at once.

"Form II, Makashi, was developed during our wars against the Sith and a proper counter to their aggressive technique was necessary. While Makashi's dueling prowess has been shadowed by more recent combat forms it is still valued for its even footwork and precise movements.

"Form III, Soresu, was created when our main focus was, once again, on blaster-wielders. Like Makashi, it requires a great deal of control in its movements though its focus is more in blaster combat but it is still more effective one-one-one than Shii-Cho. It is one of the harder forms to counter though some consider it as overly defensive in its focus. I am predominantly a user of Soresu.

"Form IV, Ataru, and Form V, Shien, were developed in response to the supposed weakness of the defensive nature of Soresu so both are more aggressive. Ataru requires the user to have great agility and be in constant motion, in sharp contrast to Makashi and Soresu, while Shien requires greater strength and focuses on a more offensive technique. The main branch of Shien focuses on combat against blasters while its sub-form Djem So caters toward duelists.

"Form VI, Niman, was created almost as a combination of the previous five forms. Many Jedi at the time disapproved of the aggressive focus of the predominantly used Ataru and Shien and developed the more well-rounded Niman. Without a specific focus, Niman can be weaker than the other forms in their areas of expertise though its lack of a weakness can lead to an all-around stronger Jedi.

"And then there is Form VII, Juyo. Juyo is the most aggressive and intense form of lightsaber combat taught by the Jedi. It draws on the precision and focus of Makashi and Shien while implementing the fluidity of Niman. Due to its closer proximity to the Dark Side and its styles, many Jedi are wary of Juyo and it is only taught to those who have mastered multiple other forms and deemed strong enough in the light to resist Juyo's darker focus. In fact, I do not believe that any current members of the Order have mastered the dangerous Juyo.

"So those are my thoughts on the seven forms of the lightsaber combat of the Jedi. Besides Juyo, which I must obviously forbid you from studying at this point, I have no preference as to which one you pick. I would say that you have more of an inclination towards Shien or Niman but the choice is ultimately yours and I feel that I can train you well enough in any, though my focus is on Soresu with elements of Ataru and Djem So, I know enough of the others that I can aid you in becoming proficient in them."

"I think..." said Nioman, still pondering his decision, "That for now I will work on Niman. I like the idea of it touching all areas of combat. Later on I may work on specializing myself in either Makashi or Shien but I'll do Niman for now."

"Interesting decision." She noted, "I like how you are thinking ahead and going with a choice that will allow you to easily specialize yourself later on."

She took a quick look at their coordinates and said, "well, it seems that I've talked so long that we will soon be at Ilum. Just another half hour. You should rest, I sense that you will face many trials in the Crystal Caves and you should be well-rested."

* * *

><p>It seemed like no time at all had passed before the shuttle landed and they were staring into the luminous entrance of the sparkling cave. Few Jedi ever spoke of their experience in these caves so naturally it was a subject of exciting mystery for those who had not yet experienced it. Nioman often wondered what it could possibly be about these caves that would cause them to be held sacred by the Jedi. What was it that transpired here that few ever spoke of it? Nioman knew that you didn't just go in and pick any old crystal of the color you wanted. He knew that the Force would direct him to the right one. He just needed to find it.<p>

"Go on in." Reesa encouraged, "I will stay and direct you from here."

Nioman was filled with a mixture of anticipation and dread. He knew what she was going to do. The reasonable part of him said that she couldn't discover anything worse than she already had but it still made him uncomfortable. At least she would be there to motivate him. Looking into the cave, it wasn't very inviting. It would be comforting to know he was not truly alone in there. Nioman gathered up his courage, reached into the Force around him, and stepped into the cave.

The walls of the cave were dotted with the sparkling gems that were the lightsaber crystals. Every time Nioman saw a yellow one he reached out to it, trying to find a connection. Anything, some hint that this crystal would be his. But nothing. None of them responded and Nioman began to doubt that he was proceeding as he should.

_Do not become disheartened. _Spoke the voice that Nioman had been both longing and dreading to hear, _you have turned over but a few crystals. Some Jedi spend hours in these caves before they discover the right one. You will know when you see it._

Do not become disheartened? Some spent hours here? How could that statement not discourage him, yet his master had stated it so simply, as if it were a minor detail. Worse, the longer Nioman stayed, the more he could hear voices whispering to him in the slight breeze that drifted through the glittering cave, seemingly without root. It was as if the wind spoke to him, trying to tell him things, but he could not bring himself to listen.

_There is a great deal of power entombed within this place. Indeed what you hear is the voices of the spirits of the Force. But do not be perturbed by them for they cannot harm you._

He knew that Master Doliq was trying to encourage him, but Nioman couldn't help being even more disturbed by her comforting. Entombed here? What could she mean by that he wondered. And how could she be sure they could not harm him? Nioman felt that he would go mad if he spent too long in this cave. He needed to find the crystal quickly and get out.

_The voices are here only to deter you. It is yet another test of the fortitude of those that are accepted into the Order. You will survive it, I know that you will. But press onward and do not delay. Its power over you will only grow if you do._

Its power over you will only grow if you do? What in the blazes could she mean by that. She said "it" as if there was some singular power lurking in this cave. Hidden, using all its power to dissuade him from his course. Even as he thought that the voices in the wind intensified, becoming clearer. Soon he was able to pick out some of what they said.

"_You have pride..._"

"_...have touched the darkness..._"

"_...too much pride for a Jedi._"

"_You will hurt those you care for...__"_

"_...Council is right..._"

"_...they will learn to fear you..."_

"_...unwilling to accept authority..._"

"_...you will betray them all"_

"_...you are to be feared by them..._"

Then all the voices joined together in one message.

"_And they _should_ be fearful of you!_"

Nioman was paralyzed in fear. What did these voices, these spirits mean? Why should the Council be _afraid_ of him? He may have his grievances with the Council but he would never actually defy the Order, let alone attack Jedi. He wouldn't, would he? Doubt welled up in him. What if these things were right? What if we was a danger to the Order? Perhaps he should just remain here, in this cave. Here he couldn't hurt anyone. Maybe-

_Nioman! _Reesa's voice was urgent and even fearful _You cannot linger there. You must continue on. These voices feed off the fears of those who enter. You must best them!_

"But...Master," Nioman's voice was hoarse and weak in his ears, "what if...what if they are right."

_They are not. We can discuss this later if you like but you must keep moving!_

"Master..."

_Go!_

That last, urgent word was enough to break Nioman out of his trance. He ran until his was far from that spot, far from those voices. He stood there, regaining his composure, for a short while but he knew he had to continue the search. He reached out in the Force again and surveyed the cavern. And there he saw it. One brightly glowing yellow crystal. As soon as he saw it everything else around him seemed to vanish. All he could focus on was the golden light emanating from that crystal. He knew it was the one. He had found it and had passed the Test of the Crystal Cave.

**A/N: Thank you all for reading this far, I really appreciate it and don't forget to review. I also want to thank Candace Marie for her suggestions and support.**

**So this is the last of the chapters with Nioman at this age. The next will skip ahead a couple years. The purpose of these early chapters, besides setting the characters, are to hint at future events and really leave curiosity as to what exactly fate has in store for Nioman.**


	5. Chapter 5: Dark Encounter

**Chapter 5: Dark Encounter**

**51 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman Dokoora was fourteen now. He had been the padawan learner of Master Reesa Doliq for two years. In that time he had become incredibly close with his master. More so, even, than his best friends Mace Windu and Sora Bulq. So close was the bond between master and padawan that he felt he could tell her anything. Even the darkest secrets of his heart he felt he could share with her. She had initiated this bond on their first day together when she delved into his mind but Nioman had willingly continued it since then. At times it was uncomfortable but over the months and, eventually, years, Nioman knew that he could say anything to his master and not lose her trust and respect. And he valued that connection above anything else. Even, perhaps, above his commitment to the Jedi.

Nioman and Reesa had just been assigned a mission as bodyguards to a Bith spacecraft designer names Rugess Nome. Apparently, Nome had strong suspicions that pirates were after his designs and would ambush him on his journey to Corellia from his home plant of Clak'dor VII. Nioman couldn't see what the Bith was so worried about but the Council had assigned Reesa to this mission so what could Nioman do about it? He didn't really mind, he just didn't like such utterly pointless missions. There were far better things he could be doing rather than guarding some paranoid corporation owner from non-existent pirates.

_Nioman,_ came Reesa's slightly exasperated mental voice from the ship's bridge, _the Council obviously felt that there must be some case for concern if they chose to give us this job. It isn't your place to question those orders._

Over the two years of their partnership Reesa had taught Nioman how to respond to her telepathic communication without speaking. He still couldn't initiate conversation that way but he could respond to her.

_Master, you know as well as I do that the Council aren't really the ones to blame for this. You know that the Senate hires out Jedi bodyguards as another way to collect credits._

_I know._

_But doesn't the Council care that it is partaking in such a corrupt, money-grabbing act by the Senate. _Nioman protested.

_Of course the Council does not fully agree but it does not like refusing the Senate if it is avoidable and we can protect lives by adhering to this wish of the Senate's_

_Protect lives? _Nioman scoffed _Don't you think that Jedi efforts are better used in other ways than saving such worthless lives as these._

_Nioman! _Reesa rebuked through their bond, _All life is sacred to the Jedi, even those that are not entirely admirable._

_Fine. _he relented _But this whole affair reeks of greed and corruption to me._

_I know it does, _Reesa sympathized _but there is nothing we can do to change it._

_Nothing we can do about it. _That was Reesa's answer to every problem Nioman had with the Council or the Senate. He respected his master immensely but she had no inclination to change anything. She was satisfied to blindly follow every edict of the Jedi Council, never considering the possibility that it could ever be wrong. Nioman, on the other hand, often wondered at the amount of collective wisdom that the Council actually possessed. From what Nioman had seen, the Council was too attached to the old ways, too attached to peace, unwilling to adapt and to change. Nioman planned on changing would show the Council the error of its ways. _He_ would return the Order to its former greatness. _He_ would free it from its era of complacency. He _would_ become grandmaster. But he needed to bide his time. No one would listen to a mere padawan. He could wait, he had to. But when the time came, he_ would_ embrace his destiny.

* * *

><p>Alarms blared across the ship, arousing Nioman from his brooding. It took him a moment to register what was happening and to locate the threat. Just a moment before he was on his feet and sprinting to the bridge. In minutes he had reached it, barely fatigued by his run across the length of the ship.<p>

"What's going on?" Nioman asked, "Who is attacking us?"

"Pirates." Reesa replied with somewhat forced calm.

"You see," spluttered Rugess Nome, emanating panic, "I told you they would come. I told you, but you Jedi scorned my judgment and now look, they'll kill us all!"

"Calm down." said Reesa with a slight edge in her voice, "We can handle this but you must not panic."

Nioman felt her voice ringing with Force-suggestion, releasing waves of soothing encouragement, even Nioman couldn't help but be affected.

"Fine," spat Nome, "but your protection had better be worth all the credits I spent on it."

A blast rocked the ship, throwing all those who were not strapped in or Jedi to the floor of the bridge.

"Preposterous!" shouted Nome, "Worthless! How dare the Senate charge so much for such useless bodyguards!"

"Master Doliq," Captain Agarrot, the ship's commander, said, raising his voice to be heard over the Bith's ranting, "The hull has been breached and an enemy boarding party is incoming."

"Captain," ordered Reesa, "keep the enemy ships focused on you, I will take some of the crew to repel the boarding party. Nioman, take Nome and his staff to the security hold and make sure they come to no harm."

_And do not, on any account, follow me. I can handle these lowlifes._

"Yes, master." acknowledged Nioman, grateful that she had not said the last part aloud.

Reesa headed off toward the breach in the hull while Nioman led Rugess Nome, his Muun secretary Hego Damask, and the rest of his assortment of alien staff members to the reinforced durasteel of the security hold.

The group entered the security hold and settled in. No telling how long it would be before it was safe to come out. Of course Nioman would rather have been fighting but sometimes there were more important tasks. He knew that it wasn't a good idea to leave Nome to his own devices and if anyone got past Reesa someone would need to protect Nome and his entourage. That someone just happened to be Nioman. He settled down to meditate, trying to release his nagging anger at the Council. He couldn't afford to be distracted by it and it wasn't doing him any good right now.

_So that is what the Jedi teach you to do. To drain yourself of emotion. To abandon your own identity._

Nioman started. That voice was certainly not Reesa's. It was a male, alien sounding voice. deep in a malevolent sort of way, not at all like the soothing tones of Reesa's soft encouragement. Nioman had never been spoken to in his mind by anyone but Reesa. And they were in the middle of open space, there couldn't be any other Jedi close enough for that. So it had to be someone on the ship.

_Indeed, I am no Jedi. _the chilling voice spoke again, almost taunting, _Such potential, _it mused, _So wasted with the Jedi and how misused by the High Council. Oh, but they will learn of their mistake in time._

_What...what are you talking about? _Nioman couldn't speak aloud, not with Rugess Nome and the others so close, they would think he was insane. He just hoped that this...being that was speaking to him would hear and answer.

_Oh, how the Jedi believe my kind to be extinct. And how wrong they are. But you will not tell them of their mistake. Not even your master with whom you share everything._

_Who are you!?_ Nioman shouted into the Force, pushing the thought out as powerfully as he could, _What do you want with me?_

_Who I am is not important. As for what I want, that will be revealed in time. Right now, I have simply come to enlighten, and perhaps to warn you. You believe that you will save the Jedi Order. You have dreamed that you will lead the Order back to glory, that you alone will overthrow the High Council and expose its corrupt machinations to those that blindly follow it. But you are wrong. In the end you will have to make a choice. It will be between yourself and the Jedi and you will abandon your vows to the Jedi, abandon those that care for you. You will look upon the hurt and the disappointment and they will not sway you._

_You are saying that I will leave the Jedi. I would never act in such a way. I will save the Order, not abandon it!_

_You may believe that now but that will change. You will feel the soft touch of the Dark Side. You will embrace it, you will yearn for it. I have seen this in your future and it will come to pass. You will give into your anger and your passions. You will end innocent lives and even kill one who is close to you._

Nioman's head reeled. How could this being know what Nioman would do long in the future? Even if Nioman did have issues with the Council, he wouldn't leave the Order behind because of them. Would he? Nioman glanced around the room, looking to see if anyone was paying attention to him. No one was. Nome and Damask were huddled over datapads and most of the others were in murmured conversation. Nobody was watching him. Just when he had begun to hope that this presence had left him he heard it again.

_How little you know,_ purred the sinister voice, _How blind you are of your inner self. Millions, even billions will die because of your actions. You will embrace your inner darkness and turn your back on the light that has restricted you so._

_How can you possibly know this?_ Nioman demanded to know,_ Not even Yoda can see the future so clearly._

_The Jedi are clouded by the Dark Side. The very enemy they believe to have been destroyed centuries ago. I have to such inhibitions. Everything I see comes to pass. You will see that in the end._

Nioman wanted to shout at this tormentor of his. He wanted to vehemently deny the very possibility that he would betray the Jedi. But he couldn't get himself to believe it. He wanted to. With every fiber of his being he wanted to. But he couldn't. He just couldn't because when he looked honestly at himself he could see it. Not all of it. Not murdering innocents and killing a friend, but he could see himself leaving the Jedi. He could see himself flying from Coruscant to let the Council lead the Order to its doom. He did see it. In his mind a picture formed. He was standing in front of the Council. He was shouting at them, bombarding them with their failures. He could see it and he hated himself for it.

The voice did not speak again. It was as if it knew it had achieved its goal and could leave him now. It knew that he had seen himself following the path it had predicted. It knew that he now believed the possibility of these things coming to pass. Nioman was overcome with shame. For as long as he could remember his greatest dream and desire had been to be a great the Jedi. To be the greatest Jedi. Grandmaster of the Order, respected by all. And now it seemed that just the opposite would happen. He would be thrown out by the Council, ridiculed and scorned by the other Jedi. He would leave his entire life behind...and for what?

Nioman reached into the Force, desperate for answers. He concentrated harder than he had ever done before but peace still eluded him. Hard as he tried an answer did not reveal itself to him.

* * *

><p>"Nioman! Nioman, what's wrong, focus on me."<p>

Slowly Reesa's voice registered in Nioman's mind. He didn't know how much time had passed. Had he fallen asleep, exhausted from the encounter with the evil voice and from his own searching for the truth. Or had he still been in some deep meditation, totally unaware of his surroundings.

"Master..." he said, somewhat groggily "What's going on? Are the pirates gone?"

"We defeated the pirates, yes. We are nearly on Clak'dor VII. I came in here to tell Rugess Nome and his staff to prepare to disembark when I saw you in this state. Did something happen to you? You look pale and..." she trailed off, her eyes subtly searching him.

"I...just...nothing. I was...meditating and I must have gotten carried away." He supposed it was true. Certainly not the real reason for his exhaustion but he found himself unwilling to talk about what had happened with his master.

"Are you sure?" she probed lightly, "you know you can tell me anything."

"Yeah, that's it. I just...really reached into the Force. And I was worried about you. I suppose I was just trying to make sure you were okay."

"I'm touched by your concern for me but it was all under control." she said, still not completely convinced by Nioman's story, "and be careful if you try to do that again. You are still young and I don't want you attempting to manipulate the Force in ways that you are not yet ready to."

"It wont happen again, Master." Nioman said respectfully, hoping that it would be enough for her, "I'll meet you on the bridge shortly."

"Alright" She left the security hold but Nioman sensed that she was still not entirely satisfied.

Then the real enormity of what he had done crashed down on Nioman. He had lied to his master. The one person that he could share his secrets with and he lied to her. Maybe she could have consoled him. Maybe she could have found a solution. Now Nioman would have to face his destiny alone. Part of him wanted to rush up to the bridge and tell her everything but he restrained the urge. He couldn't say anything now, not after lying to her. And what if she couldn't understand. What if she decided that the Council was right and he was to be feared. Nioman remembered the voices in the Crystal Cave on Ilum "_They will learn to fear you" "You will betray them all" _the spirit of the cave, it had known. Nioman became overwhelmed by the sheer hopelessness of his situation. There really was nothing he could do to alter his path. Nothing he could do to prevent his fall.

**A/N: The name Rugess Nome is actually someone so you can find the secret to the voice by starting there, though I won't give anything else away. There is also another name mentioned that could lead to the answer to this mystery.**

**Remember to review and give feedback. I love to hear what you do and don't like and any suggestions for the future.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6: Goals and Irritations

**A/N regarding chapter 5: I had a guest review that was wondering at Nioman's severe reaction to the dark voice inside his head and didn't find it believable so I will try to clear this up a bit for this person and any other who may have similar feelings: I will have to admit that this wasn't an easy chapter to write. I think one of the biggest reasons for Nioman acting in that way is that he was caught completely off guard. He was in the middle of a mission when suddenly this menacing voice comes out of nowhere and begins predicting Nioman's fall to the Dark Side. Another major reason was that when he looked deep inside himself Nioman could actually see this happening to him. He already knows of his many feuds with the policies of the Jedi Council and after his experience in the Crystal Cave he found himself able to believe it. Hope that helps a bit, I know that there were certain lines in his reaction to it that may have taken it a bit too far but this is a very necessary part of the story and will have a major impact in future chapters.**

**And sorry for the wait, I lost motivation for a little while but I promised Candace (the person I beta for) that I would have a certain part of the story in by the end of the month so you can expect more chapters soon. And now, I bring you Chapter 6!**

**Chapter 6: Goals and Irritations**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman was deep in meditation, trying not to dwell on his latest annoyance. This time, the Council wasn't entirely to blame, they wouldn't have known the mistake they were making, but Nioman could still blame them anyway. He had been assigned on a mission with the person he disliked most in the Galaxy: Tyrone Dooku. Nioman hadn't had the displeasure of seeing Dooku since the older man had been knighted two years ago. Now he would be forced to spend an entire mission under Dooku's critical, sneering gaze. Nioman couldn't let himself concentrate on the negative. After all, there certainly were positive aspects to this mission. By some stoke of luck, or possibly pulled strings on the Council, Sora's and Mace's masters had also been given this assignment. This meant that the three of them would get to spend a great deal of time together which didn't often happen anymore as one of them was most always away on some planet these days.

Nioman still wondered why this mission was so important to the Council that it chose three of its most suited masters, Tor Difusal, T'ra Saa, and Reesa Doliq, to complete it. As far as Nioman knew, it was just one of those assignments to deal with some pirate group that had emerged and was causing the Republic some grief. In short, it was an incredibly standard mission. It didn't really matter though, since when did the Council's decisions make sense? All that mattered was that Nioman got to be with his friends and he was quite thrilled at that. So far the mission had been entirely uneventful. Mostly searching through space or making contact with those who had been affected by this latest streak of raiding. None of it had yielded any success.

Nioman heard the door to his ship's quarters slide open and he sensed Sora enter the room.

"Hey, Nioman" he said, "Hate to interrupt your studious meditation but your masters wants you up on the bridge."

"What for?"

"Not sure. The masters are being antsy and they want us up on the bridge."

"Alright, I'm coming" Nioman stood up and the used the Force to float his lightsaber to his outstretched palm. Nioman was quite proud of the design of his lightsaber handle. It did feature, in accordance with Jedi tradition, similarities to his master's blade but Nioman did not at all refrain from adding his own touches. As he held his lightsaber handle he took a moment to admire the Wroshyr wood infused in the handle, the gold plating on the ignition key, and the bronzium rings towards the golden emitter. He loved the way it glowed in smooth harmony with his ocher blade. Even the hook at the back of the hilt which clipped to his belt was designed with precision. Nioman sometimes spent hours gazing at the immaculate design of the handle but there were other things to do now. Reesa wanted him and he wasn't going to dawdle around admiring his own work. Especially when he knew that Master Difusal would be judging him as the Council always did.

* * *

><p>As Nioman arrived on the bridge he could feel Master Difusal's eyes boring into him, searching for Force knows what. Nioman hated being looked at that way but he couldn't help but feel the tingle of unease at the Master's gaze. Even Nioman, who was normally confident and even brash in his thinking toward the lofty members of the Jedi High Council, felt intimidated by the imposing Chagrian master. And it wasn't just the physical build of the master, with his tall stature, impressive horns, and firm expression, but the strength and power that was held in his gaze. Of all the powerful Jedi on the Council, Tor Difusal frightened Nioman the most.<p>

Then a familiar voice with its superior tone spoke, "You must move quite slowly, _Padawan_ Dokoora, if you took you so agonizingly long just to reach the bridge. What a stunning lack of care for punctuality, you have."

Nioman didn't need to turn around to know who had spoken. He knew how much Tyrone Dooku was enjoying making Nioman look tardy and incapable to the Jedi Masters. Ever since they had met it had been Tyrone's goal to shed a bad light on Nioman to the older Jedi. Nioman suddenly hoped that there would be a fight soon. He pleasured himself in the thought of just how wonderful it would be to show the Council just how capable he was and how weak Dooku really was. The young knight was all words, he may have excelled at his one gift of manipulation but in open combat Nioman was sure that Tyrone would falter.

Nioman was returned to the present by his master's irritated voice, "Knight Dooku, if you would please refrain from antagonizing my padawan it would be quite appreciated. You only make yourself appear immature by attempting to influence us with such petty complaints." despite the edge in her voice Reesa managed to maintain a perfectly calm and amicable demeanor. Nioman couldn't stop himself from grinning when he saw Tyrone's affronted expression. Nioman was absolutely delighted that his master would do that for him, she already knew Nioman's feelings towards the haughty knight but he couldn't believe she had said that in front of Master Difual and Master Saa. Nioman could tell his friends were enjoying Dooku's discomfort as well. Sora's face was in the sleeve of his robe barely stifling his laughter while Mace struggled to keep a blank face but Nioman could still see his mouth twitch slightly in amusement. On the other hand, Master Difusal had a slight frown on his face and Master Saa had averted her gaze and was shifting her feet uncomfortably.

Master Difusal broke the tension by clearing his throat and saying, "Regardless of the circumstances, we have other matters to discuss."

Tyrone eagerly took the opportunity to change the subject, "Then do we have a lead on these despicable raiders."

"It would seem so," confirmed Difusal, "Republic intelligence has reported the re-occupation of a previously abandoned fortress on the moon of Tartania."

"In the Tedraan Sector," said Dooku, "That isn't far from here."

"Yes, and it is a centralized location around the sectors that have been invaded by them."

"If this is true then they are certainly a major operation," speculated Reesa, "We may not have the needed force to deal with them."

"Perhaps force will not be needed," said Master Saa.

"I doubt that," said Master Difusal, "It isn't as if they will close their operations because a handful of Jedi tells them to."

"And when they don't do you even have a plan on what to do next?" blurted Nioman. The reactions were instant. Reesa shot him a warning look, Master Saa's eyebrows raised up to her vine-like hair, Tyrone smirked, and Sora's and Mace's mouths were open. Only Master Difusal remained expressionless, though there was a slight crease in his brow.

After a short pause he said, in a threateningly calm voice, "I would not go into this situation without a plan, young padawan. And you must be more mindful of your words, for they betray your feelings and following those feelings will bring you to a dangerous place."

"Forgive me, Master. I spoke too hastily." Nioman absolutely hated having to humble himself to a member of the Jedi Council that way but what else could he do? He knew that there was a great deal riding on his response and he knew that, at least at this stage of his life, he would need to appease the Council when necessary. It was the only way he could achieve his goals for the Order. Didn't the Jedi teach that a Jedi had to put his mission before his feelings? That was what Nioman was doing. He knew that to reach Knighthood and eventually Mastery he would need to act in ways that displeased him. Otherwise there was no way the Council would keep him in the Order long enough to make an impact. And if that meant apologizing, essentially lying to Master Difusal then so be it. It was a measure Nioman was willing to take in order to secure his future.

"Well then, Master Difusal" said Reesa, causing the attention to turns towards her and away from Nioman, "would you please enlighten us on your plan once we arrive at Tartania."

"Once we arrive outside of the moon I will send a transmission to the pirate base and see if we can work out some diplomatic solution. If that does not work I will proceed to more threatening measures. If they still remain hostile we will have to infiltrate the base ourselves and perhaps then they will be persuaded to cease their hostility."

"If the situation does become aggressive it will put us in a dangerous position," warned Master Saa, "we will be greatly outnumbered."

"Which means we will have to rely heavily on stealth," added Reesa.

"I am confident that we can prevail over any odds," assured Master Difusal, effectively ending the debate, just the way Nioman had seen Councilors do it before, using the weight of his position to deliver a clear final statement that would silence any opposition. Nioman had to agree that Reesa's and Master Saa's worries were unfounded but he was irked by Master Difusal's complete disregard for their opinions. Reesa would say that Nioman was focusing too much on an isolated incident but he had seen it happen before and it bothered him deeply.

* * *

><p>Several hours passed before Republic <em>Consular-Class<em> diplomatic cruiser jumped out of hyperspace in the Telmaros System which contained the moon Tartania where the Jedi delegation's destination laid. Nioman, Mace, and Sora had remained on the bridge during the journey and were absently playing a game of Sabaac to pass the time. Meanwhile Tyrone and the masters were huddled near the controls, likely making plans for the upcoming fight that everyone knew was coming. The diplomacy was really only a formality, a matter of procedure. Everyone knew that it wouldn't change anything but it was a necessary part of a mission like this anyway.

Master Difusal ordered the bridge captain to make contact with the pirate base and the three padawans immediately left their game and approached the control console where the masters and Dooku were gathered. It was not long before the holo-receiver lit up and the image of a tall man with light armor and an electro-pike over his shoulder appeared. His expression was cocky and distasteful when he saw the Jedi.

"_I am Samo Agravo, the leader of the Glorious Fist mercenary band and I would assume that you are the Jedi band that has been sent to deal with my escapades and I would guess that, in true Jedi fashion, you are are going to try and talk me out of my life of crime. Well, speak your piece and be done with it, I don't have all day to deal with diplomats._" The man, Samo Agravo, said. His voice was arrogant and bored, as if he couldn't care less what the Jedi said and didn't view them as anything to be worried about.

"I am Tor Difusal of the Jedi High Council. You and your band of thugs have been the source of several violent raids against the member systems of the Galactic Republic and its citizens. As a keeper of the Republic law I must request that you cease this murder and plunder and conform to Republic law whilst inside Republic-controlled sectors. Failure to comply will bring the firm hand of the law upon you."

Master Difusal said this all in his firm intimidating demeanor but Agravo didn't seem at all unsettled by the speech. In fact, he had a smug smile on his face and expression made quite clear that he would not be swayed whatsoever by any means of diplomacy, regardless of the threat level implied. Nioman could see how this man would be unafraid of a Republic without any standing army and only the Jedi Knights as protection. Despite the grand reputation of the abilities of the Jedi, this man seemed to know that a handful of them was of little danger to his operation.

After rubbing his chin in a mocking gesture or consideration he said,"_That is such a stunning offer, good Jedi. Thing is, I don't see what your Republic is gonna do about me and my boys here pillagin' the locals. Everyone knows that you don't have the military power to actually do anything. You can sit there and make your threats but it ain't like you can back them up._"

The three Jedi Masters exchanged looks. It was obvious to Nioman that they were in silent mental communication which he, of course, was not privy to. After about a minute of this Master Difusal said, "This is your last chance to repent. If you continue to defy the Republic there will be action taken against you."

The pirate's smile widened a little as he said, "_Oh I doubt that, good Jedi. I'm sure I won't be seeing you again._"

As the transmission cut off a blast rocked the ship, nearly throwing the Jedi to the floor. Alarms peeled and Nioman saw red marks begin to flash on the control board.

"What was that?" demanded Reesa.

the bridge captain frantically searched his controls as he received reports from his headset as he replied, "It looks like a stealth ship must have gotten in close to us and bombed us close range. He had too much power focused on keeping the communication to the surface that the sensors must not have picked it up."

"How serious is the damage?" asked Master Saa with a frown.

"They knocked out the main shield generator and there is damage to the hull. It may not be critical but we are very vulnerable to attack now."

Just as the captain finished another crew member gestured to his screen and called, "fighters, incoming!"

"Then we'll have to fight back," said Sora.

"This is a consular ship," sneered Dooku, "it doesn't have a weaponry system."

"In which case we will have to try and escape them," concluded Master Saa.

"We need to outmaneuver the fighters first," explained the bridge captain, "we can't make the jump to hyperspace with so many ships around us."

"That isn't going to be easy," worried Reesa.

"Isn't there anything this ship is good for?" complained Sora.

"Silence, padawan!" berated Master Difusal, "your complaints do us no good."

"But he's right," defended Nioman, "a ship this large will never be able to shake off those fighters."

"Captain," reported another crew member, "there is a cargo ship approaching and there is a high concentration of life forms on board."

"We have boarders," said Tyrone.

**A/N: Once again I have to thank Candace Marie for her support and help in publicizing this in her own stories which I highly recommend reading.**

**Hope you enjoyed reading and stay tuned for the next chapter and don't forget to review and, if you liked it, follow and favorite the story, it would make my day!**


	7. Chapter 7: Orders

**Chapter 7: Orders**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

"We can't let them sabotage the cruiser" decided Master Tor Difusal, "T'ra, Reesa, Tyrone, come with me. We can deal with them. Captain, try to get the shields back online and position us for a hyperspace jump."

"Hyperdrive is out!" reported a crew member.

"Without weapons or a way to escape we are sitting ducks out here." said Reesa.

"If we can commandeer the boarders' landing craft we may be able to use its weaponry to deter these bandits." said Master Difusal. "Padawan, I need you to stay here and keep the bridge operational, we cannot allow it to be captured."

Sora had a pained look on his face but apparently knew his master better than to complain. Mace, of course, would follow orders without question. Nioman didn't like it but he wasn't surprised at it. Older Masters like Tor Difusal generally were of the opinions that padawans were useless ans could not be of help to such powerful Jedi as themselves. Nioman wanted to object but he knew that nothing he said would change the Chagrian Master's mind so he remained silent.

Within moments Dooku and the Masters were gone. Once again Reesa was risking her life while Nioman did nothing. What was the point of field experience, he wondered, if he never actually did anything? On solo missions with him Reesa would often allow Nioman to accompany her. Occasionally, though, she deemed herself to be sufficient alone or felt that Nioman was better used elsewhere. The escort of Rugess Nome was one occasion. Force, Nioman hadn't thought of that mission in months. In the time following the ordeal that had accompanied the mission Nioman had done all he could to forget the voice and its dark words. Sometimes he wondered if it had even been real, or if it was just some figment of his imagination. He had simply been caught in a moment of shock. There was no way he would ever betray the Jedi, was there? Nioman decided not to think about it, he knew thought of that nature would accomplish nothing. He had been with Reesa long enough to know that.

Reesa. Nioman's thoughts turned towards his master. She meant everything to him. She knew him so well and always had advice. She never inhibited him in ways that the Council did. He could trust her with anything, knowing that she would not betray him. He trusted her more than anyone. More than Mace. More than Sora. She was also powerful. Sometimes even Nioman was awed by her manipulation of the Force and her insight into people's minds. In Nioman's opinion only Yoda had shown greater control of the Force. Reesa was exactly what Nioman needed, a master that could release his potential and hone his abilities to an extent that would make him the greatest of all Jedi. Greater than Tor Difusal. Greater, even, than Master Yoda. If Reesa wasn't there...Nioman didn't know what he would do. He couldn't imagine life as a Jedi without her.

Right now Nioman needed to concentrate on the present. There would be time for these thoughts later but now he had a job to do. Even if it wasn't much, he still had duties. He couldn't let Reesa down. Nioman reached out into the Force. He could feel each blast rip larger and larger pieces off of the doomed cruiser. He could sense the battle raging between the Jedi Masters and their enemies, startlingly close, in fact. It could not be far from the bridge now. Nioman could almost hear the crackle of lightsabers deflecting blaster bolts and crashing against vibroblades and other charged melee weapons. He could just make out the odor of charged electricity and singed flesh. He could nearly feel the heat of the battle and the rush of air as the combatants rushed about in their lethal dance. He could sense the boiling emotions caused by the fray; the tantalizing thrill of victory on one side, the grim determination of the other. It was all so close, yet Nioman could not aid his comrades.

Suddenly the aura that Nioman felt being released through the Force of the struggle changed dramatically. In his mind he could hear the shouts and retreating footsteps on one side. He could picture the image of one of the Jedi being hit in the side by a laser bolt, but which Jedi? Nioman tried to focus on that spot and discover the identity of the presence that even now he could feel slowly slipping away. He was interrupted, however, as the blast doors to the bridge were forced open and Tyrone and Master Saa entered. Dooku's back was to them as he deflected several blaster bolts away from him and the Neti Master. That meant that the Jedi who had been hit was either Master Difusal or Reesa. Nioman wanted to extend his consciousness and find out which one it was but Master Saa was speaking and he needed to focus on himself.

"We are being overrun," she panted, "we were unable to contain them. I suggest that you all head for the escape pods before it is too late."

"I can't abandon the ship," protested the captain.

"And I am not leaving my master behind!" insisted Nioman.

"Captain, that is your decision," reasoned Master T'ra Saa, "but I will order that all non-essential crew members take flight. Tyrone, padawans, you will escort them to the pods and then take flight yourselves."

"What about you?" asked Mace.

"I will need to protect the bridge for as long as I can."

"And Master Difusal and Master Doliq, where are they?" inquired Sora.

"I am not sure," admitted Master Saa, "Tor ordered me to warn you and Reesa was protecting them. I believe they are both alive for now but for how much longer I do not know."

"We can't just let them die!" insisted Nioman.

"I'm with Nioman." said Sora.

Mace looked indecisive. Nioman knew that of all three of them Mace was the one who was most likely to not question orders. And it wasn't his master dying out in the corridor. There was no way he felt the same way Nioman did.

Master Saa's expression nearly relented from its firm look of authority but then it hardened again, "Tyrone, take the padawans to the Pod Hangar. I don't have time to argue." As if to prove her point a blast shook the bridge and the blast doors dented inwards slightly.

"I will not-" Nioman's protest was cut short as Master Saa's hand extended and Nioman felt himself being lifted off the ground and was flung through the air and into an elevator shaft with Mace, Sora, and Tyrone. Before Nioman could react the door slid inward, blocking his access to the bridge and the elevator began to descend.

Tyrone was the first to rise as he brushed off his robe. He had a slight frown on his now-bearded face as he muttered, "was that really necessary. I am quite capable of walking. No need to throw me in with these three in such an undignified way." He gave Nioman and his friends a reproachful, disgusted look as he said that last part. If the situation wasn't so infuriated Nioman would have been amused by it but he could not find any humor when Master Saa had forcibly prevented him from aiding his master. He swore to himself that if his master died he would never forgive Master Saa for it, despite the fact that she was Mace's mentor. She was also on the Council and her actions only further darkened Nioman's opinions towards that supposedly wise body.

"Fine." said Sora, "all I need to do is change our course and bring the elevator right back up to the bridge and-"

"None of that," said Tyrone as he blocked the elevator controls with his body, "you were given an _order_ and I intend to make sure you follow it."

"Get out of my way, Tyrone" said Sora with a threatening edge in his voice and his hand reached for his lightsaber and he took a step toward the Jedi Knight.

"That would be Knight Dooku to you, Padawan Bulq. And, as it would seem, I am in change here and I will not tolerate such behavior from a mere apprentice." Tyrone was clearly relishing his position of power over the three teenage Jedi whom he so disliked. "No go sit in the corner and wait silently until the elevator stops. And if you try any funny business I will personally make sure that you feel the consequences."

Even through the dark wrinkled Weequay skin Nioman could see a tinge of red rising to Sora's cheeks and his scowl was quite clear. His eyes positively radiated anger. Mace put his hand on Sora's shoulder in an attempt to calm him but then Nioman spoke up.

"Don't stop him, Mace" protested Nioman, "Do you want Tyrone to get away with treating us that way. If he is really so powerful let him prove it." Nioman knew he shouldn't be encouraging violence and the giving in to anger but right now he didn't care. He needed someone to blame for his problems and Tyrone was the closest thing he had to the Council right now. He could picture Sora's lightsaber stab through a stunned Tyrone and he found himself enjoying the thought. Then he realized just what he was thinking. He was stunned with himself. Had he really just wanted Sora to kill someone? Even if it was someone as pathetic as Tyrone Dooku did he really enjoy the thought. He didn't realize that he had fell back against the wall until Mace turned to him with concern in his eyes.

"Nioman, what's wrong. You look pale. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It's nothing" Nioman lied. When Mace's gaze continued he said, "I don't want to talk about it here," and made a significant look toward Dooku.

"I see," understood Mace, "well get up. We'll need to be ready for anything."

Sora gave Tyrone one last dark look before turning to Mace and Nioman, "he's right. We'll need to find the crew and make sure they get out okay. Then we can look for our masters."

"Excuse me" Tyrone broke into their conversation, "have you been listening at all. You aren't going to be going after your masters. They have made up their minds and you have to abide by that."

Before Nioman even knew what he was doing his yellow blade was out and pointed inches from Dooku's chest, "Back off, Tyrone." He commanded with such force that the young knight stepped back a little, a mixture of shock and indignation on his face as he reluctantly reached for his own blade which was still hooked to his belt. Then he regained his composure and his typical mask of superiority returned to his face.

"How dare you speak to me in such a way, padawan!" he spat, "The Council will hear of this."

"Oh yeah," baited Sora as he ignited his blue blade.

"Do you presume that you can fight me?" said Tyrone as he unclipped his saber hilt, which Nioman now noticed was curved, though he did not ignite the blade. Not yet, at least.

Mace stood indecisively, looking down and shifting his feet as if unsure of what to do. Nioman found this quite surprising. Mace was normally such a decisive person. He was able to make hard decisions in a second if the situation demanded. What could it be that caused him to hesitate so? Nioman would think about that later. Right know he had a prideful, overbearing upstart of a Jedi Knight to deal with. He and Sora stepped forward in unison, blades pointed towards Tyrone. Nioman wasn't exactly sure what he intended to do but it was time to show Dooku who was more powerful.

In a flash of green light Tyrone's blade was out and leveled in a defensive position guarding his chest. "Don't presume superiority over me, padawan." Dooku's face was confident but his voice betrayed a tinge of unease. Nioman raised his lightsaber to strike but the movement was halted as his yellow blade crashed down upon a blue one.

Mace stood in the space between Nioman and Tyrone, lightsaber raised to parry Nioman's blow. "Enough." he said in a commanding tone. "Nioman, Sora. You don't solve anything by fighting him."

"Mace, get out of the way" growled Nioman as Sora lowered his blade, stunned at his friend's intervention.

"No," refused Mace, "I will not allow you to do this."

Nioman was about to argue when Tyrone spoke up, "Do not stand there and pretend that you are saving me, Padawan Windu. I am a Jedi Knight and I do not require your aid."

"You want them to attack you?" Mace said, with irritation in his voice.

"Whether I want them to or not is not of your concern." said Tyrone who was doing his best to look down on Mace even though the Korun padawan was taller than he, "I am the one in charge here and I can handle them."

Mace's face took on a look of unfeeling, "Suit yourself," he said, disengaging his lightsaber and backing away.

Nioman was about to continue the hardly started duel when the elevator doors opened. Tyrone took the opportunity and strutted out the door and into the corridor though his eyes never left Nioman. Clearly he was under the impression that Nioman would attack while his back was turned. Nioman may not have cared at all about Tyrone but Reesa had taught him better than to attack an unsuspecting opponent from behind. The three padawans exchanged looks before following Dooku. They would resolve this issue later but right now they had a job to do.

* * *

><p>It did not take long to round up the surviving crew members and get them into escape pods. One good thing about this useless diplomatic cruiser was that it had plenty of escape pods. Nioman guessed that was its way to make up for its lack of weapons. Even so, it was a tight fit. In the end there were only a few pods left. Nioman hoped that the crew would be okay. He hoped that the pirates wouldn't target the defenseless escape pods though he deemed it likely that they would. Even if any of those men did survive they would have to find a way to cope on a barren, hostile planet. Nioman did hope they would be okay but now he needed to turn to a more important task. Rescuing his master.<p>

He couldn't sense her very strongly but he was sure that if she had died that he would know. But he needed to hurry. He had no idea how much longer she could survive against the pirates or even how long this ship would hold up. It had to be in a critical condition after receiving so much damage. They needed to be quick and get Reesa and any other survivors to the escape pods before it was too late. He had begun to reach out with his mind to search for her when Tyrone spoke, breaking his concentration.

"Come now, Nioman," He ordered, "Do not make me have to resort to force."

Nioman and Sora both turned to Dooku and reached for their lightsabers. "You really do think that you are more powerful than us," said Sora.

"You have no idea how strong we are," added Nioman.

Then all attention was turned to a hallway that had been blasted away by a stray torpedo, briefly exposing the four Jedi to the vacuum of open space that began to force them toward the opening until emergency blast doors kicked in and sealed the hole.

"You see," said Tyrone, "If you go off to save your masters we will all die. The pirates aren't going to wait for you. This ship will be gone by the time you could get them here, assuming that they still live."

"We can't leave them," argued Sora, "it wouldn't be right."

"No. Sora, please," Mace pleaded. His expression was pained. "I...I think he might be right." Mace's pain at saying that was obvious, "we won't be able to get them out in time. And they did tell us to go. Would you want to disrespect them and waste that sacrifice."

"I can't believe you're saying this," said Nioman. He didn't know how Mace could just give up his master's life like that. Of course, Mace had nowhere near a bond with T'ra as Nioman did with Reesa. He just couldn't let his master go. A galaxy without her...he just couldn't imagine. He could still save her, he knew it.

"Nioman, look at me," said Mace, "It's what your master would want. We need to go. If the Force wills for them to survive then they will do so without us but there isn't anything more we can do."

"And besides," Tyrone took the opportunity, "we still may be able to salvage this mission. The pirates won't be expecting an attack on their base. We still can defeat them. That is if you will see reason."

"Don't speak to me," growled Nioman, his feelings evident in the tone of his voice.

"Dooku, please back off" said Mace, "And Nioman, we need to go now. I'm sorry but we have to complete the mission."

Nioman looked over at Sora for support, for something.

"It's your call," the Weequay said, "I'll go with whatever you say."

Nioman was in an impossible situation. He couldn't leave his master behind. But if he went after her and didn't make it out then he would be responsible for his friends' deaths and he couldn't do that either. Then he heard the faintest whisper in the Force. He didn't know if it was real or just his imagination but he heard her voice.

_Nioman...follow your heart. You know what the right decision is._

And that made his mind up. He would have to hope that somehow his master would make it out but deep inside he knew what would happen. There really was nothing he could do. But he still had a choice to make. He could go now, save his friends and perhaps avenge his master. Or he could sentence them all to death, fail the mission. His master would die either way, he could feel it. So in the end there was only one thing he could do. Even so, he knew that this would be the hardest choice he ever made and one he would likely regret for the rest of his life.

"Fine...we can go," he sighed. Barely believing what he was saying.

And in his mind he said _'and my the Force be with you, master' _as even then he felt her passing. Reesa Doliq was now one with the Force.

**A/N: What a note to end on! Anyways, as always, hoped you liked and please review.**

**And just to make the clarification, yes Mace's lightsaber is blue right now. I see purple lightsabers as used by particularly accomplished or Force-connected Jedi so Mace will only get a purple blade later on.**


	8. Chapter 8: Rage

**Chapter 8: Rage**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman was glad that he needed to keep his mind focused in order to help keep the escape pod from being shot down like many of the other pods around them. Tyrone had insisted on piloting (so much as an escape pod can be piloted) while Nioman, Mace, and Sora did what they could to alter the course of the laser beams and rockets that aimed towards them. Finally they managed to leave the enemy fighters behind and had soon landed on the rocky surface of Tartania. Or at least they almost did. instead, the clumsy pod ended up crashing into a sentry tower of what appeared to be some sort of military base.

That, of course, did not go well and the four Jedi were immediately forced to defend themselves from all sides. The smoke generated by the remains of the escape pod made it difficult to see anything and in the chaos of the fight and soon Nioman became separated from the others. The fight led him to an open courtyard that seemed to be in the center of the compound. That wouldn't do. From here Nioman could be targeted from almost any location in the base. He needed to find a safer place to go while he regained his bearings.

He made a quick scan of his surroundings, hoping to see one of his friends or, at least, somewhere that he could take shelter for a moment. He saw flashes of blue coming from one of the sentry towers but it was too far away for Nioman to reach. Whoever was up there would have to fend for himself. He couldn't scale the walls without making himself vulnerable to sniper fire so that wouldn't work. The main building itself didn't appear to have any good entrances either. Then he found what he was looking for. A small opening that had steps leading down into what seemed to be some sort of cellar. It would have to do. He would be covered from outside fire. He just had to hope that there was no one inside.

Once he was inside he noticed that the room was indeed occupied and it was not someone he wanted to see. Standing there with his typical haughty expression was Tyrone Dooku. Before he could fully react, however, he heard the sounds of shouting and hurried footsteps and turned just in time to deflect a barrage of blaster bolts from a group of at least a dozen Humans, Weequay, Klatooinians and other assorted species. Some carried blasters while others fired on him with blast-gauntlets and held vibroblades or electro-staffs. He was just about to brace himself to fight them hand-to-hand when the doorway they were coming through collapsed on top of them with a sickening crunch. Many of them had been killed by the collapsing rock but Nioman could hear muffled shouts from behind it and those men were sure to call others.

Nioman turned to see Tyrone with his hand still raised after causing the entrance to cave in on itself. As he had expected, Dooku had used the Force to prevent the pirates from reaching them.

"Just brilliant," said Nioman as he glared at Dooku, "you'd better hope you didn't just destroy the only way out."

Nioman studied the surroundings, looking for another exit. What had appeared to be a cellar from the outside was now revealed to be some sort of a cavern. There was plenty of room though most of it was filled with shelves and crates. Some held weapons while others contained various valuable that had likely been stolen during raids on cargo ships. There weren't any passages leading out of the cave. The only light came from a flickering fixture on the roof and the eerie yellow and green glows of their sabers. Then Nioman noticed a ventilation shaft, perhaps three feet square, on the ceiling. At least they wouldn't suffocate and perhaps Nioman could remove the bars and climb out through it.

"And if you had not foolishly led them all here I wouldn't have had to do that," Tyrone was saying.

"So you're going to blame me for all this now. I see," said Nioman, anger rising up in him again. There was no Mace to stop him this time. No one would need to know how Tyrone died. No, he could not lose control like that. He needed to regain his composure. It didn't matter how despicable Tyrone was. He could not give in to his emotions.

"Ah, so your true colors come forth," purred Dooku, "Now that you have the chance you are too much of a coward to attack me."

Part of Nioman saw what Tyrone was trying to do. If he could goad Nioman into attacking him he would be able to have the padawan expelled. As much as Nioman hated Tyrone, he had to admit that he was shocked by the depths that Dooku would fall to in order to achieve this goal. He knew how devoutly Tyrone followed his own code of honor and he couldn't believe that Dooku would actually fall so far. That was the reasonable side of the Nioman. The other side urged him to attack, to take revenge. He felt all his anger at the Council and all his pain at losing Reesa and channeled it into his strike.

If Tyrone was not such an adept swordsman he would have been dead with that first attack. Instead he raised his green blade and put one foot back to absorb the force of Nioman's blow. The lightsabers clashed in a shower of brightly colored sparks. Nioman released the blade-lock and leaped backward only to charge back towards Tyrone in a blinding combination of the first five forms of saber combat into his already near-mastery of Form VI: Niman. He spun around Tyrone in a whirlwind of motion, never losing sight of the green glow that was his enemy's weapon. Tyrone hardly moved position, relying on the precise footwork of his chosen form; Form II, Makashi.

And so they continued, neither gaining or giving ground. Nioman thought back to the first time he has seen Tyrone Dooku. He had been only seven at the time. He, Sora, and Mace had wandered into the room of a Thousand Fountains and had been amusing themselves by levitating the water. And not just in one fountain, but all of them. Sora had been telling Nioman and Mace about how Tyrone Dooku and Lorian Nod had stolen a Sith Holocron from the archives when Dooku had come over to them. Once they found out who he was Sora had asked why he had done it. Dooku had attempted to explain that he had not done it when Nioman had stated that he believed the Tyrone was lying and that he had framed Lorian. After that, Dooku had gone out of his way to make sure that the trio was punished. Though the stated reason was that they were being punished for playing with the fountains Nioman knew that Tyrone had really done it because of the insult to his pride. The punishment hadn't been anything large, they had been banned from participating in that week's push-feather games, but it was that incident that had begun the dislike between Nioman and Tyrone.

Nioman was awarded for his distraction by a sharp pain in his arm. He glanced down to see a smoking cut in his brown sleeve due to Dooku's saber grazing his wrist. He needed to focus. Tyrone Dooku was much too good an opponent for Nioman to allow his concentration to slip again. Nioman thought back to all the other styles he had fought and how he had beaten them. Mace's powerful rendition of Shien, Sora's flowing Djem So, and, greatest of all, Reesa's flawless Soresu. All of those Nioman had beaten at one time or another. The advantage of Niman was that it had the ability to improvise compared to such a strict from such as Makashi. A skilled practitioner of Niman could counter any one of the other five forms using the right technique. He just needed to find a weakness. Problem was, he couldn't see any. Tyrone's footwork was excellent, each move seemed to have been made planning ten steps ahead. No matter how Nioman attacked Dooku's blade was there to counter it. Nioman would have to try another method.

"Is _that_ how you were taught to duel, Ty." taunted Nioman, "With Thame Cerulian and even Yoda as a master I would expect better from you."

Dooku's face turned slightly red, "do not call be by that name," he snarled, focusing on each word as he said it.

"So I've stuck a nerve," continued Nioman, all the while studying for any hole in Tyrone's defenses. He knew what he was doing was low but as long as Dooku fell for it he was fine doing it. How many times had he been tormented by the man in front of him? How many times times had Tyrone mocked him while flaunting his own accomplishments? How many times? Too many and now it was time for Nioman to take his revenge. Right now he didn't care about Jedi teachings, all he cared about was forever wiping that arrogant smirk off of Tyrone Dooku's face.

"Do not presume that your taunting will make me sloppy," said Tyrone, his face returning to its normal color.

"And don't think I believe this facade that you have put up," countered Nioman, "I still believe that it was you that stole the Sith Holocron ten years ago. The Council might have thought it was your friend Lorian but I know it was you and I know that you are not the perfect Jedi that you pretend to be"

Tyrone was momentarily stunned by that but before Nioman could take advantage he was slammed in the side by several crates of food supplies that had flung from the shelves at him. Dooku clearly wasn't stunned enough to render himself defenseless. He had just begun to stand again but Tyrone was already on him. In a surprising move for a Makashi-user Dooku had leaped toward him, blade raised to deliver a powerful strike upon Nioman's head. He barely had time to move his own saber in order to deflect the blow and ended up in another blade-lock with Tyrone. He was not in a good position. He had not been able to fully stand and was now stuck in an uncomfortable crouch as his own yellow blade was pushed slowly closer and closer to his face by Dooku's green one. He needed to do something and quickly or this would not end well.

_Give into your anger. Use it against him._

Nioman was completely stunned. He hadn't heard that voice in three years, not since that bodyguard mission. Not since the first and only time he had lied to Reesa. It was the voice that had foretold his turn to the Dark Side and his betrayal of the Jedi. It was that evil voice that he had tried so hard to forget. But it couldn't be here, it must just be his mind playing tricks on him. He couldn't get distracted. It was a wonder he hadn't been killed in his moment of disbelief. He tried to mask his features, hoping Dooku hadn't noticed, when he heard the voice again.

_Focus your anger. Use it against him. Have you not lost so much to his kind? Unleash your power._

And to his horror, Nioman obeyed. He gathered up all his anger, all his sadness, all his hatred, all his loss, and focused it against Tyrone. All his despair at his master's death was focused into his blade. All of his pent-up resentment against the Council became his weapon. All of his rage at Dooku and what he stood for came forth against him. Now he was unstoppable. And, slowly but surely, his own blade pushed forward and downwards until it was just an inch from the emitter of Tyrone's lightsaber. And then he felt it, his victory. His blade slid down and landed against Tyrone's hands, causing him to release his blade and flip backwards to avoid his imminent demise.

Tyrone Dooku was only delaying the inevitable. Nioman gathered up all his energy as he readied himself for one powerful leap which would bring an end to the prideful Jedi's life. He flew through the air towards his weaponless enemy, lightsaber raised for the kill. Then he hit an invisible force and was halted in mid-air. Dooku was standing in front of him, bloodied hands raised, pressed outwards in the gesture the Jedi used when pushing objects through the Force. Then they changed into a claw-like gesture and Nioman felt his neck being constricted. His own blade fell from his hand as he clawed at his neck trying to free himself. He reached inside himself, looking for anything that might free him from Dooku's grasp.

_Use your anger. Release your hatred against him. You can do anything with the Force if you so desire it._

Before Nioman even knew what he was doing he saw lightning arc from his own fingers to strike Tyrone square in the chest. Nioman was still levitated in the air but now it was of his own accord as the torrent of lightning continued to assault Dooku. It felt good, finally being able to prove to Tyrone that he was the more powerful of them. He watched as Dooku screamed and writhed in pain and he enjoyed the feeling of it. No one could stop him now. He was more powerful than any Jedi.

_Nioman _the voice was faint, so faint that Nioman was unsure of whether it had really spoken in his mind. But he knew who that voice belonged to. He had heard it many times in his life and it had always brought him comfort, _Do not allow yourself to be snared by the darkness. Remember what I said the day I first spoke to you. You can be a great Jedi but you must not give in to temptation._

A wave of exhaustion hit Nioman as so many new emotions crashed down on him. He slowly floated back to the ground as the torrent of electricity sputtered out. He would have to do some major emotion-sorting-out-meditation later but right now he still had to deal with Tyrone who had been reduced to a wheezing heap on the floor. He used the Force to call his lightsaber to his hand and pointed it at Tyrone's face.

"I should kill you," stated Nioman, "you deserve it. But I will not take that upon myself. Now you know who is the more powerful Jedi and I hope that you never forget it. I also hope that you will think twice before antagonizing me again or you may not find me so merciful."

Tyrone rose unsteadily and brushed his robe off before straightening and attempting to regain some semblance of dignity after his ordeal though Nioman could tell that he was still in a great deal of pain. "You may have bested me today with your uncivilized use of Sith powers but know that I am, and always be the better man." he said as he retrieved his lightsaber and turned away. "And you had better find a way to get us out of here. I'm sure that racket will have attracted unwanted attention." he added, almost as an afterthought.

Part of Nioman wanted to strike Dooku down then and there but he had already made his decision. Also, despite his enmity toward the prideful man, he knew that Tyrone's honor would prevent him from trying anything against Nioman while his back was turned. He also knew that a man with as much pride as Tyrone would never speak of this incident to anyone so Nioman knew that he would not need to worry about any repercussions with the Council. What he was worried about, though, was how far he had slipped into the Dark Side. He had come so close to killing an unarmed man then. He had let his hatred control him and now he regretted it but there was nothing he could do about it now. He just couldn't let it happen again. But he could sort that all out later. Right now he needed to find Mace and Sora and then avenge his master's death.

**A/N: First, I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I must say that this is the greatest bit of writing I have ever done and it does make for quite an epic fight scene. And I would like to thank Candace for all of her reviews. I really appreciated all of them.**

**Also, quite soon Candace will be writing this fight from Dooku's POV in her 'Transcending Tyrannus: A Tale of Tyrone Dooku' so look forward to that and in the meantime go read the first two chapters of it as well as Differnet Destiny and Twist of Fate.**

**And as always, any comments, questions, concerns, just review or, if you'd rather, PM me and I will readily help you out. Hope you enjoyed!**


	9. Chapter 9: Doubts

**Chapter 9: Doubts**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman had been so focused on removing the grate from the ventilation shaft so that he could get out of this cavern that he did not immediately hear the voices outside. When he did it sounded like they were coming from behind the boulders that now blocked the way out.

"Mace, do you mind helping me with this," came a familiar voice from beyond the rocks.

"Are you _sure_ they are in there. Remember what happened the last time you thought you sensed him," said another voice.

"Of course I can sense him. It isn't strong but he is definitely in here.," retorted Sora, "who else would have made this mess?"

"Alright, alright," relented Mace, "let's get it done with before more pirates find us. I'm sure we haven't cleared them all out."

A scraping and rumbling could be heard and soon light came streaming into the cavern before being blocked by Mace's bald head. "Hey, Nioman." he said, "Are you okay in there? What happened to you, Dooku?"

Tyrone shifted uncomfortably for a moment before answering, "It was just...an unfortunate happening but I assure you I am fine now."

"Okay. Your hands don't look so good though. Are yous sure you don't need any medical attention."

"Does there appear to be a medic around?" said Tyrone as he glanced down at the blood that now seeped through his bandages, "Just give me a moment," he added as he reached into his medpack and turned to hide the extent of the damage from Mace.

"Well," said Nioman, eager to take the subject off of what had happened,"While he's doing that I would suggest that you and Sora get out of the way. I should be able to blast the remaining rocks out of the path."

"Are you sure?" Mace asked skeptically.

"Yeah," he assured, "just warn Sora to get out of the way." Nioman was doing his best to appear lighthearted to his friends though he was sure Mace knew he was hiding something. Hopefully his Korun friend would just assume that he was still distraught at the death of his master and not suspect anything more. It did help to blast the rocks from the entrance as it allowed Nioman to release some of his negative energy that still lingered inside him. Once they emerged from the cave Sora addressed them.

"So, while I was out searching for you, Mace went and found some speeders for us," he explained, "He also got the location of the main base so now we know right where to go."

"Good," approved Tyrone in a slightly grudging voice, "It is nice see that you are doing something useful for a change."

None of the padawans chose to respond to that but the tension around them rose considerably. Nioman wondered why Tyrone always felt the urge to say something negative about him and his friends. At every chance he got, Tyrone was sure to make a snide comment to them. It was as if he wanted them to fight him, which seemed odd after he had just been sorely beaten by Nioman. Sadly, Nioman knew he needed to keep Tyrone around in order to complete the mission or he would have gladly left the overbearing knight to fend for himself.

After a moment of silent glaring Mace spoke, "we had better get going," he said, "we should be well away from here by the time the main pirate base discovers our presence here."

"If that is what you are trying to delay then you should disable any communication from this location," proposed Tyrone.

"Already done," answered Sora with a smirk.

"I'm surprised," admitted Tyrone, "perhaps_ some_ of you have some small capability."

Nioman was unsure if that was some sort of forced compliment or if he was simply trying to say how Mace and Sora had some ability while Nioman did not. He doubted that Tyrone would ever willingly say anything good about any of them so he was probably just trying to spite Nioman. Nioman decided not to care about it. He had already put Tyrone in his place and right now he had other problems. He was long beyond caring what the so-called Knight of the Order said about him. It wasn't as if Tyrone could hinder him from his destiny of saving the Order from the tainted grasp of the Council. Tyrone Dooku was only one person and not even a significant one at that. In the end he could only sit and watch as his beloved Council fell from its lofty position of superiority.

Nioman was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of Sora prepping the engines of the speeders.

"Are you coming or not, Nioman?" he complained, "we don't have all day."

"Yeah, of course I'm coming," Nioman answered, "I was just deep in thought."

"You always are these days," observed Sora.

"While I am fascinated with your bantering it would be a good idea to leave now," Tyrone said with an exasperated look, "you can talk all you want during the journey. And I do hope these...things actually work," he added, studying the speeders.

"Of course they do," said Sora.

As they drove off toward the location of the main pirate base Nioman took some time to observe the landscape of Tartania as he sped past it. From space the moon had looked like a brown hunk of rock. From the surface it wasn't much different. Though the air was breathable there was little in the way of life-forms. One of the only defining features in the rocky landscape was the lakes of liquid methane that dotted the craggy surface. Nioman didn't really know why the pirates had chosen Tartania as a base. Apart from the methane which was in abundance the place did not appear to have any natural resources, unless there was something of value that could be mined from the caverns that covered the many ridges of the moon. Perhaps they had chosen Tartania for its isolation. After all, the moons of the Tedraan Sector were uninhabited and generally useless so the Glorious Fist may have believed that they would not be discovered here.

Nioman eventually became bored of observing the repetitive landscape which gave him time to think. He really wished it hadn't as there weren't many good things to think about. He had just lost his master and now had used some forbidden dark power after giving into his rage against Tyrone. He was really bothered by the lightning that had just appeared from his fingers. He had no idea how he had done it or even if that power had a name. He tried to remember anything about it in his lessons but came up with nothing. This...power he had used, it had to have been used before by someone, though Nioman doubted any Jedi had ever done that. He would have to reference the archives when he returned to Coruscant, assuming that he would return. He hoped he would be able to hide this from Mace and Sora and...well he didn't have a master anymore. He hadn't really thought about what would happen to him now that Reesa was dead. There had been so much going on since then but now he had time to wonder. It was likely that the Council would assign him to one of its members like it had wanted to and had succeeded in doing with Mace and Sora.

Nioman's thoughts returned to the duel in the cavern. To the lightning and to how he had relished the thought of the pain he was inflicting on Tyrone. How could he have enjoyed that? Wasn't that the complete opposite of everything the Jedi taught? He wondered what the consequence would be if the Council ever found out about the events of that duel. But how could they? He and Tyrone were the only ones who knew what had transpired there and Nioman was positive that Dooku would not speak of it. There was no way he would be able to without revealing his own involvement in it. Nioman would just have to try to move past that and work even harder in his quest for greatness within the Jedi Order. He would not allow one mistake ruin his dream. But what if it would?

Nioman thought back to the Spirit of the Crystal Cave, how it had prophesied his fall from the Light. He remembered the voice during the Rugess Nome mission that had foreseen his betrayal of the Jedi. The same voice that had encouraged the release of his dark emotions against Tyrone in the cavern. Why was it that he was plagued by such things? Other Jedi never experienced such torments. Was the Force trying to warn him? If this was his future could he even change it? The doubt that always seemed to lurk inside Nioman sprung up again in him. From the outside he always appeared so confident but he could not shake off the fear that lingered in him, waiting for moments of weakness to strike down his hope. Most times he could shake it off, even forget its presence, but when it did strike, he was often overwhelmed by it.

Why was it that these thoughts always struck Nioman at the worst times. Within the hour he and the others would be infiltrating the pirate base. He would be in perhaps the most physical danger in his Jedi career yet he was letting himself get carried away with his insecurities about his future. He would need to meditate on it later and reach an acceptable solution with himself but he could not get carried away with it now. Didn't the Jedi always say to stay mindful of the present and not get carried away in what may be in the future? If he continued to dwell on these worries it would leave his senses in an unfit state when he would need them most. The upcoming battle, whatever it may entail, would require his unwavering focus. That much he knew for certain. Reesa had died trying to bring justice to these lawless men and there was absolutely no way Nioman would let her death be in vain.

**A/N: I know it is short and hopefully it does not interfere with the flow of this mission and while the beginning was mostly fluff these last few paragraphs are quite important and they get to show some of what goes on in Nioman's head and why he gets so overwhelmed by instances such as the Rugess Nome encounter (you know, the evil voice)**


	10. Chapter 10: Infiltration

**Chapter 10: Infiltration  
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**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

The wide walls of the Glorious Fist headquarters loomed ahead and soon the four speeders had parked in the loading dock. Nioman and the others had taken the clothes of some of the pirates and had disguised themselves to look as if they were delivering supplies to the base. They had known that their speeders would be detected before they came in sight of the compound so Mace had formulated this plan so that they could enter unnoticed. So far it had worked. The speeders had gained clearance to the storage lot and now the Rodian supply manager was approaching them.

"Hey, you. Hold up!" shouted the Rodain in slightly garbled Basic, "I don't remember ordering any shipments today. What base are you from?"

"A-7" answered Mace.

"Code name?"

Mace paused. This hadn't been part of the plan. The Rodian's mouth contorted into what might have been a smirk and was about to say something when Tyrone cut in.

"Hombara," he stated hurriedly.

The Rodian's shoulders slumped, "and I was hoping I would be able to make you leave and have to go get the code from someone. Lazy, forgetful scum that you are. Well that's it. Here's you clearance key, go deliver the supplies. But if I catch you nabbing anything..." his eyes lit up, "we do have a couple of hungry Acklay that could use a good meal,"

"I understand," acknowledged Mace, "we'll be getting out of your way."

Once they had gotten out of earshot of the Rodian, Sora spoke.

"How in the Force did you know that?" he asked Tyrone.

"Simple," Tyrone explained, "his mind was an open door. He already knew what he wanted to hear so all I had to do was walk in. It's a trick that you padawans should become familiar with," he added, taking an air of superiority as if they were younglings and he was giving them a lesson, "it could come in handy some day. If you ever reach knighthood, that is."

Nioman knew that the only reason Tyrone had acknowledged the question was to rub his knighthood in their faces yet again. It was really getting on Nioman's nerves. The only reason Tyrone was a knight and they were not is because he was five years older than they. If they had been the same age Nioman and his friends would surely have been knighted years earlier than he. Nioman tried to find a retort, something to challenge what Tyrone had just said. He was even more inclined to argue when he saw how Mace and even Sora were nodding agreeably. In the end he said,

"Isn't that abusing your powers of mental manipulation. Jedi are only supposed to do that if it is absolutely necessary. Even then it might be frowned upon."

Tyrone glared at him as he responded, "padawan, I must request that you refrain from your constant moanings. I am the knight here and you will need to trust my judgment."

Nioman wanted to retort back how Tyrone was a pathetic excuse for a Jedi and that his judgment meant nothing to Nioman but he knew that the mission had to come first. With so much at stake he would not allow himself to lose control again. After all, hadn't he already shown Tyrone who was the greater Jedi. Even if he hadn't had to resort to whatever dark power he had assailed Dooku with, he still could have won, he would have won had Tyrone not invoked the illegal power of Force choke to his defense. Nioman knew he was more powerful than Tyrone Dooku could ever wish to be and that would have to satisfy him for now.

* * *

><p>The four Jedi crept through corridor after corridor in the pirate base, doing all they could to avoid any contact with the pirates that meandered about. When they did encounter groups of chatting pirates they simply kept walking and tried to act normal and not stand out. They were approached a few times but with the aid of Force-imbued suggestions were able to avoid suspicion. Eventually they reached the entrance to the private quarters of Samo Agravo, the leader of the Glorious Fist.<p>

Tyrone had his hand raised, poised to force open the door, when Sora said, "hold up, Dooku!"

"Tyrone sighed and turned to Sora, "what is it, padawan Bulq? We are in a hurry you know."

"What are you intending on doing in there?" the Weequay inquired, "I'm sure you have some sort of plan, at least I hope you do, but you haven't bothered to fill the rest of us in on it."

"Fine," sighed Tyrone, "the first goal, as you all should have realized, is to deal with this Samo Agravo. The preferable method would be to take him prisoner but due to his refusal to surrender and the attack on a diplomatic vessel I would say that he can kill him if, and only if it is absolutely necessary."

"Okay, great," said Nioman, "then what? Is isn't as if these thugs will just surrender once we have their leader."

"No, but it will demoralize them and without their leader they will likely become disorganized and allow us to take control of the situation," explained Tyrone.

"I hope you don't intend on somehow capturing each and every one of them." said Nioman. It may not be the Jedi way to cause unnecessary deaths but Tyrone was taking that ideal much too far. Nioman had seen how Tyrone had pleaded with each of the pirates to surrender, only killing them once they refused. They were enemies of the Republic and needed to be taken care of. The Jedi were often too pacifistic. They often failed to realize that violence was the only solution to certain problems and some had even died because of that mistake.

"It would be preferable if they all saw reason and chose to surrender," reasoned Tyrone, "but if not then I am willing to take appropriate measures. And," he added, looking directly at Nioman, "if I give an order you had better not question it. I will not have you costing us this mission because of your pride."

"Fine." spat Nioman, "as you said, we _are_ in a hurry so let's get on with this."

The execution of their plan was flawless. As the door was forcibly slid open to blue lightsabers ignited in an instant and the guards that flanked the doorway fell. A yellow saber followed and cut down a Klatooinian and an Iktotchi who stood at a table with their leader before they could even register what had just happened. the yellow blade was followed by a green one that positioned itself at a stunned Agravo's throat. Moments later the padawans had closed in and pointed their blades at the pirate commander. Samo Agravo was trapped. The Jedi had surrounded him and he had no way out.

The shock was easily apparent on the pirate's face. He was must have been stunned to see four of they Jedi that he thought had died on the cruiser. There was no way he could have expected them, not only to arrive on the moon but to reach him undetected. To the man's credit, he was able to hide his shock after a moment under a mask of defeat.

"Fine, fine, I give up." he groaned, "you Jedi are tougher than I thought, I'll give you that. Just do whatever you need to and get it over with."

Nioman wasn't sure if he could believe the pirate. After all, Agravo had been pretty resolute during his conversation with Master Difusal. He didn't seem like one to suddenly give up just because the Jedi had caught up with him. But he was surrounded and there wasn't anything he could do. Perhaps he was just hoping that he could get out of this mess alive. Maybe he hoped that his men would be able to free him before the Jedi left with him. That seemed reasonable. Jedi were taught never to give up just because their lives were in danger but Nioman knew that most sentients did not hold the same values as the Jedi.

"I accept your surrender," Tyrone was saying. The young knight lowered his lightsaber as he rummaged in his supply kit for electro-cuffs. Even as Tyrone did this Nioman felt a slight warning in the Force but it was too late. In that instant that Tyrone had let his guard down Agravo struck. Before any of the Jedi could react Agravo pushed over the table that stood between him and Tyrone, knocking the Jedi off balance even as the pirate slammed into him. Nioman and his friends attempted to intercept Agravo but in that instant a thermal detonator went off just feet from them, forcing them to leap backwards in order to avoid the blast and momentarily obscuring Agravo and Tyrone from sight.

As the smoke cleared Nioman heard the sound of a blaster going off and the hum of a lightsaber swerving about to deflect the bolts from the owner's body. When Nioman was finally able to see Agravo, the pirate was assaulting Tyrone with a constant barrage of laser bolts from one of his gauntlets while his other hand held some sort of remote which had a red light blinking on it, most likely signaling other pirates. As Agravo stepped out of the doorway he pressed a button on the remote and a ray shield came to life in the entrance between him and the Jedi. He cast one last triumphant smile at the Jedi before sprinting off down the hall.

"Blast it!" cursed Tyrone, "we need to get those shields down immediately!"

"There's got to be some device to deactivate them in here," assumed Mace.

"It's even worse than that," warned Sora, pointing at one of the vents which was now emitting a green gas, "he's trying to trap us in here and suffocate us with that."

"There has got to be a way out," reasoned Mace, though there was a frown on his face and his eyes were closed in concentration.

"Can't we cut through the wall?" suggested Nioman.

"I'm sure it's too thick," said Tyrone without even considering Nioman's idea.

"Maybe the ceiling..." wondered Sora.

"Perhaps," said Tyrone more reasonably, "though it will take too long to cut through it from down here."

The gas was thickening and the air had begun to sting. They needed to find a way out and fast but nobody seemed to be able to come up with anything. They were running out of time. As Nioman frantically surveyed the room once again he noticed something. Behind some furniture that had been thrown against the wall by the thermal detonator blast there was what appeared to be an opening to another room. It had been almost entirely obscured by the bookshelf and chairs that now were heaped by it and by the thickening haze of the gas but Nioman could make out a sliver of it. Perhaps there was another exit. It was worth a shot at any rate. It wasn't as if the others were making any headway in finding a viable way out in here.

Nioman reached into the Force. He felt its energy swirling around him, waiting to be manipulated to his will. He stretched his arms out, drawing from the power that immersed the room. He closed his eyes, reaching inwards to grasp at the power that dwelt inside him, the essence of the Force that lived within all Jedi. He felt the tingle in his fingertips that indicated the presence of the Force, requiring only for him to set a task for it. He lifted his arms and envisioned the bookshelf that now blocked his path lifting upwards and away from the entrance. The object he was lifting was made out of some metal and had to weigh a couple hundred pounds but didn't Yoda always say that with the Force, weight was no issue. Nioman felt a satisfied smile touch his lips as he heard the scraping of the bookshelf ascending and then the crash as it fell a few feet away.

Nioman went to investigate the adjacent room, hoping that an exit would be revealed. The first room he entered was a bedroom. A quick scan revealed nothing helpful. There was a window but Nioman could see a blue tint that gave away the presence of an energy shield, ruining any chances of using the window as an escape route. Force, this pirate was good. He must have been planning that Jedi would attempt to capture him at some point and had planned the building accordingly. There were two doors, one of which led to a closet and the other to a bathroom. That is when Nioman got an idea. After making sure that his plan would work he went to tell the others.

When Nioman re-entered the main room the presence of the gas was nearly overpowering. From what he could see of the others in the green-clouded room Tyrone had on a rebreather and his eyes were closed while Mace and Sora had their faces in the sleeves of their robes. They were having an argument.

"You should always be prepared for any situation on a mission," Tyrone was saying.

"And why in the Force would we need rebreathers on a place like this?" protested Sora, "all the air is breathable and there isn't any water or anything that we would need them for."

"I'm sure you wish you had them now," pointed out Tyrone.

"But we shouldn't have needed them!" argued Sora.

"I must say I'm mostly with Sora here," coughed Mace, "while they could have come in handy here there wasn't any reason to believe we would require them based on the description of this mission."

"Perhaps, but I hope you have learned from that mist-" Tyrone was saying before Nioman cut him off.

"Shut up." Nioman cut in, "I found something."

The reaction was priceless. Sora jumped and nearly fell over a broken chair, Mace whirled around, lightsaber at the ready, while Tyrone's eyebrows rose considerably and Nioman was sure that the rest of Dooku's face had taken on an incredulous expression though it was mostly covered by his rebreather. Nioman had to admit that he had purposely waited for Tyrone to start talking before he spoke up. It might have been immature but it felt good to be rude to Dooku and he had enjoyed seeing Mace stand up to the pompous knight.

"I believe you should be made aware of your place, young padawan," fumed Tyrone, "you are not to interrupt a Jedi of superior-"

"Did you even hear what I said?" interrupted Nioman for the second time, "I found a way out. Now let's move unless you'd rather die of air poisoning in here."

Tyrone was indecisive for a moment. He clearly wanted to lecture Nioman on the proper attitude to be taken by padawans or some other nonsense but in the end his instinct for survival prevailed and he stalked after Nioman, Mace, and Sora to the exit that Nioman had discovered or, rather, created. the bathroom was currently in a state of disarray as Nioman had needed to move some things around and remove others from their fixtures in order to find what he had hoped he would see. Nioman's first attempt had been with the laundry chute he had discovered but it had proved far too small for a human to fit through and Nioman wasn't exactly sure that whatever mechanisms were at the bottom would be entirely safe. Then he had moved on to his original escape plan which had yielded more success.

As he had stood in Agravo's bedroom contemplating an escape route Nioman had remembered a construction class that he had been in when he was ten. The purpose of that class had been to teach the initiates common patterns of building so that they could use that knowledge if they ever needed to infiltrate or escape a building as learning common routes of ventilation shafts and plumbing could prove useful in those instances. The one in particular that Nioman was hoping for was, indeed, in place in the headquarters of the Glorious Fist. The pipelines of the toilet, shower, and all the other facilities drained into a main pipeline than ran about a foot below the floor, connecting all the various dormitories on this floor of the building before dumping into wherever it led after that. It would be simple enough to enter the pipeline and simply walk a distance before using their lightsabers to cut upwards into another room which would provide them free reign of the building.

Nioman didn't need to explain the escape route to the other Jedi as it was pretty self-explanatory. Nioman was quite pleased with himself that it was _he_ who had discovered a way out and not Tyrone. While the others had panicked _he_ had kept calm and found the other rooms. This would prove to Tyrone that he could, indeed, keep control of himself when necessary and that he would not be a liability to the mission. Nioman's moment of victory was sweetened even more as he saw Tyrone's nose wrinkle through the rebreather as the Jedi Knight realized where they would need to go in order to escape. They would need to enter a sewer.

It was then that Nioman noticed the unpleasant odor that wafted out of the newly cut hole in the floor. It wasn't the nicest of escape routes but it would have to do. After one last disgusted look Tyrone leaped into the tunnel, followed by the three padawans. They had escaped Agravo's trap but this mission was far from over. They would still need to deal with the pirate leader and dismantle the Glorious Fist. The greatest danger was still likely ahead but they were still alive for now and Nioman was sure that they could overcome any danger. These pirates would be defeated. Even more important, Reesa would be avenged.


	11. Chapter 11: Parting Ways

**Chapter 11: Parting Ways**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

The four Jedi infiltrators had barely started moving through the sewer when Tyrone called a halt.

"Everybody stop," he commanded, "we can't rush in without a plan. We need to be on the same page before we rush into danger again."

"Alright," said Nioman, crossing his arms, "I'm sure as leader of the operation that you have a brilliant plan just waiting to be unleashed upon our eagerly waiting ears"

Tyrone's eyes lit up and he opened his mouth to speak, then must have thought better of what he was going to say and closed it. He took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Believe me when I say that you will be punished for your impetuosity," warned Tyrone, "but now is not the time. I do in fact have a plan and I hope that you all have the sense not to argue."

"Alright," said Nioman, "well we don't have all day so how about you fill us in."

"The main objective is still to complete with assignment with as little violence as possible," explained Tyrone, "our best bet is to intercept Agravo before he is able to assemble a large portion of his men. If we subdue him it should be enough to bring the others to the point of surrender."

"And if they don't?" asked Sora.

"Then we will be forced to kill Agravo and fight his men. In an open fight I am sure their numbers are great enough to overwhelm us so we will need to keep moving and fight them in groups, specifically targeting those who appear to be leaders. The quicker we eliminate those in command, the easier it will be to force them into disarray. After that it should be of little difficulty to finish them off. It will also lead to as few fatalities as possible given the circumstances.

"Well..." said Mace, rubbing his chin, "I suppose it is the best we have."

"Hold up." argued Nioman, "has anyone considered that there might be an easier way of doing this besides slinking about until we find Agravo."

Tyrone raised an eyebrow, "and what might that be?"

"I say he head for the hangar," proposed Nioman, "there wont be many guards and we can commandeer some of the ships docked there. With those we will be able to fly in and knock out this base before the gunners even realize what happened. Any sensors will be focused outward so we will have the element of surprise."

"You realize what that would mean?" said Tyrone, "we wouldn't even give them a chance to lay down their arms. Surely this bombing that you propose will cause the instant deaths of most if not all of these sentients. We cannot simply kill them without offering the option of surrender. It directly defies the Jedi way of thinking."

"You really think they are going to surrender?" scoffed Nioman, "after attacking our ship. After we, as far as they will know, tried to assassinate their leader. It's obvious that they have no respect for the Republic or for us! They are simply violent thugs who kill others for money!"

"They still will have a desire to protect their own lives," persisted Tyrone.

"At what cost?" argued Nioman, "to be locked up in some jail cell on Coruscant for the rest of their lives. If I was one of them I would take my chances fighting or running, not give up my freedom to rot in jail for the rest of my life!"

"We must still give them that option!" shouted Tyrone.

"And wasting our own lives when they refuse? All you will accomplish is causing our deaths when we are overwhelmed by them. When instead we could complete the assignment. And we already gave them the chance to surrender, remember when we first arrived and Master Difusal contacted them?

"That was simply Agravo setting us up. It must be an individual decision for these pirates, for these _people_ to make! This is not your call. I am the highest ranking Jedi here and I have made my decision and you must abide by it, padawan!"

"I will not follow along with this foolishness." stated Nioman, "Do what you want, I'm following my own plan. I don't need your help. Go and die following your morals and I will tell the Council that your death was your own doing."

It was then that Mace stepped in. Nioman figured he would at some point. His Korun friend always tried to prevent Nioman from getting in trouble. Recently, though, he was siding with Tyrone and against his own friend. It made Nioman wonder where his loyalties really lied. He knew he could still count on Sora but Mace seemed shaky. It made Nioman wonder if Mace suspected something about him. About the darkness that had latched onto him. Was Mace distancing himself on purpose? If so, Nioman didn't blame him. Mace didn't want a scar on his record because his friend lost control of his emotions. That didn't mean Nioman couldn't resent the betrayal. He couldn't even help the scowl that deepened on his face when Mace spoke.

"Nioman, look," he said in a very measured tone, "I know how you feel about this but we cannot abandon our principles. If we work together we can still salvage this mission but we can't have you going off and sabotaging our efforts."

"Our?" questioned Nioman, "so you're siding with him now. Against your own friend."

"Nioman, please," pleaded Mace, "I just want to do what's right, I want to do what the Council would want."

"The Council?" spat Nioman, all anger returned to him, "so now you want to please them. Alright then, go off and serve Tyrone and the Council, I don't care. Sora, what about you, where do you stand on this?"

Sora looked decidedly uncomfortable as he said, "look, don't go turning on me, I'm with you here. I think it is our best option to blow this place up. We can worry about what's right later. right now we have a job to do and we've wasted too much time arguing here as it is."

Mace's shoulders slumped and his face took on a defeated expression before he regained composure of himself. In that moment of weakness Nioman had been able to sense how much this was tearing Mace apart and part of him wanted to relent. Then he remembered just who Mace had sided with in this argument. If he wanted to buddy up with Tyrone Dooku, so be it. That was his choice to make but it wasn't one Nioman could forgive easily. It was clear Mace knew the gravity of his choice but he still chose to abandon his friends. If that is what Mace felt it took to prove his dedication to the Jedi ideals so be it. Nioman and Sora would just have to complete this mission on their own.

"Please Nioman, Sora," Mace asked in one final attempt to sway them, "I won't beg. I wont try to force your hands on this. I know that taking and authoritative argument in this would never work with you two. But please reconsider. Regardless if we succeed or fail think of how this will affect your futures. This one choice could destroy all your dreams of greatness within the Order. That's all I have to say. Just think about that before you do this."

"Our futures wont matter if we're dead," pointed out Nioman, "I'm sorry it came to this but I'm not changing my mind. If you are going to go with Dooku then go now. We only endanger ourselves further by staying here."

"I knew you would never become a knight," Tyrone muttered as the pairs parted ways. Nioman and Sora heading for the hangar and Mace and Tyrone heading to the control center where Agravo was most likely to run.

* * *

><p>Nioman and Sora moved quickly through the base as they aimed for the hangar, which a quick hack into the computer system revealed to be on the eastern wing of the compound. Progress was much quicker now that they did not have to deal with Tyrone's precautions. Most of the pirates they passed ignored them and those that questioned them were quickly eliminated. There was no reason to dispose of the bodies, the base was already on high alert, but as long as Nioman and Sora kept moving they would not be caught by a large enough force to present a problem.<p>

Nioman was stunned at the difference of this situation to when they had been sneaking towards Agravo's quarters. Now that Tyrone wasn't there to nag and lecture them on Jedi policy the two padawans were able to move through the base much faster. There was no more stopping to argue on the next move. There was no more going out of their way to spare lives. All there was now was the objective at hand and two perfectly capable Jedi to carry it out without the restrictions of Jedi teaching.

Nioman pushed off the doubts that tried to surface as to whether his actions were right or not. All these pirates would die anyway once the base blew up. It didn't matter whether the Council would deem his actions acceptable or not. All they would need to know is that Nioman had succeeded in his assignment. Perhaps they would finally see just how powerful he was. Perhaps they would realize that when he came back and Tyrone did not. It was likely that Tyrone would die in the explosion that would happen when the base blew. Nioman hoped that his arch-enemy within the Order would die. It wouldn't be Nioman's fault if he did. Tyrone was the one who had made such a foolish choice. Nioman hoped that Mace would see the error of his decision and make it out before Nioman took out the base but if he didn't...well he had made the same choice as Tyrone. The Jedi always taught not to expect second chances. One mistake and it could be your last. Mace had made his decision and Nioman couldn't blame himself if his friend died because of it.

It was not long before Nioman and Sora had reached the electro-fence that surrounded the hangar. As they peered into the hangar Sora spoke.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked.

Nioman studied the expanse of duracrete that held a great assortment of ships. From tiny one-man starfighters to massive cargo ships all in one place. Nioman scanned around until he found what he was looking for. There weren't many but he only needed two. Settled in the shadow of a freight hauler were a handful of small bombers. They were light and maneuverable but still able to pack quite punch to capital ships or, as was needed here, to targets on the surface. His plan had originally intended for four bombers but two would have to do now that it was just him and Sora.

Now he needed a way to get inside the bombers before any of the pirates that hung around the hangar noticed. He couldn't allow any of them to get into fighters of their own and prevent him from raining fire on the base. His plan relied on surprise and he needed the bombing to be well underway before the base was alerted and gun emplacements began firing on him. Once again he wished Mace was there to help but he and Sora would just have to make do.

"Well?" Sora said, a bit impatiently.

"I'll need you to distract the guards," Nioman instructed, "Once you finish them off run to those bombers over there. I will already have yours prepped and will have placed charges on the others. "

"And what if I have a problem with the guards?" questioned Sora, "as I'm assuming we can't allow them to contact the base."

"I'm sure you can handle it," assured Nioman, "besides, it's just you and me now. As long as you catch them by surprise you'll be fine."

"hmm," said Sora, rubbing his chin, "Master Difusal always said to be prepared and have a backup plan if something goes wrong."

"Well, we don't have many options," pointed out Nioman, "we'll just have to manage as we are. And you should consider that just because Master Difusal was on the Council doesn't mean he is always right."

"Yes, I know what you think about that," said Sora, "I just feel uneasy about this."

"Me too," admitted Nioman, "but we have to keep going. Everything will work out fine," he assured.

"What about Mace?" wondered Sora.

Nioman thought for a moment, pondering his answer before saying, "he is one his own now. Hopefully he will get out in time but if not...we can't let the mission fail because of one life."

Sora stared at him, stunned. Nioman realized that what he had said was probably too cold. but he was right. the success of the mission came first. He couldn't let it fail because Mace had made bad call. He couldn't let his feelings get in the way. He wouldn't lose the mission because he had been unable to let a friend go. He assured himself he was doing the right thing. That he was following Jedi teachings by putting the mission first. He couldn't let these pirates go free. They had to pay for what they had done.

"Look Sora, I don't know what to think right now," admitted Nioman, "but we need to carry on. Mace's decision was his to make and we can't let it get in the way of our duties to the Jedi, to the Republic, to freedom.

"I know," conceded Sora, "let's go. I just hope we don't end up with Mace's death on our hands."

* * *

><p>The plan went wrong almost immediately. Nioman had been so intent on remaining silent and moving unseen that he hadn't even noticed the mechanic crouching next to the bomber Nioman had been heading towards. As soon as Nioman saw the man he switched on his lightsaber and brought it down on the worker's neck but not before the man uttered a cry of distress that alerted the guards to Nioman's presence. He was forced to defend himself from the pirates that had immediately answered. The sounds of combat would only draw more attention to his position. He needed to do something fast or else his plan wouldn't work.<p>

Nioman couldn't see Sora anywhere but he could hear the sounds of conflict from the other side of the shipyard. That wasn't good. He needed Sora with him now so that they could get in the bomber and go before the base's shields went up and the gun operators were warned. He wanted to reach for his comlink to contact Sora but he needed a two-handed grip on his lightsaber to deflect the blaster bolts that were being fired at him. Using the Force to bring it to his mouth wouldn't work either, he wouldn't be able to concentrate enough while fending off the pirates. He would just have to do everything himself, as usual.

He charged the pirates, hoping to eliminate at least a few before they could move out of the range of his weapon. Nioman felt his blade tear through flesh and one of his adversaries fell, screaming, to the ground. He twirled his lightsaber around, causing the men around him to jump backwards, away from the yellow glow but also separating them as they backed in different directions. Good, now he would be able to pick them off one by one.

As Nioman was about to carry out that plan he heard the sounds of more footsteps approaching and a curious noise that sounded like something metal rolling across the duracrete surface of the hangar floor. Nioman turned around to see several more men turn the corner of the freighter and begin firing on him, accompanied by the metal thing he had heard. As he deflected this new onslaught of blaster fire it uncurled to reveal what Nioman recognized to be a Destroyer Droid. It was a killing machine that had been invented by the Colicoids and was used mostly by very wealthy corporations like the Trade Federation to supplement their Battle Droid forces. The Glorious Fist must have found one during one of its raids. It wasn't good news for Nioman.

He knew how deadly these droids were said to be. They had their own deflector shields and rapid fire dual-blasters in place of arms. This one, however, had something Nioman had not seen before. On top of its "head" sat another, larger turret. Perhaps a rocket launcher. Whatever it was Nioman did not want to be on the receiving end. He decided his only option was to charge the droid. There was no way he could deflect its fire as well as that of the pirates and if he moved fast he might be able to get it before its shields came up.

He leaped toward it, lightsaber raised to block any attacks from the droid or the men that surrounded it. He was only a few feet away from it, its shields still hadn't had time to activate. His blade was falling down on it. That's when it used the turret it had been fitted with. Flames poured forth from the weapon and headed straight towards Nioman. He was so close, he didn't have time to react beyond raising his arms in front of his face as best he could. The wave of heat that struck his arms was almost too much to bear. He could feel it burn through his sleeves and hit his arms. Searing pain washed over him. He fell backwards, barely landing on his feet. The sound of the flamethrower stopped but the pain didn't.

"But..." Nioman heard himself protesting, "flame weapons are illegal."

"You think we care," snorted one of the pirates as he leaned over Nioman with stun cuffs in his hands, "the law means nothing to us out here."

Nioman must have dropped his lightsber. It wasn't in his hand and he couldn't see it anywhere as his vision darkened. He had failed. He had failed the mission, he had failed Sora, and he had failed Reesa. Reesa, would she ever forgive him. That was his last thought as he blacked out.

**A/N: Okay, I can promise with complete certainty that there will only be one more chapter for this mission. In fact, it has already been written and I will post it tomorrow. Hope you enjoy and don't forget tor review or read Candace's Transcending Tyrannus ;-)**


	12. Chapter 12: Justice

**Chapter 12: Justice**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

When Nioman opened his eyes he was in a cage. Yes, a cage. Suspended from the ceiling a foot or two above the floor. He noticed that his arms had been wrapped up but other than that there hadn't been any care taken to his wounds. Sora was with him, there was blood oozing through the bandages on the Weequay's shin and shoulder. It looked like Sora had been captured as well and that he had sustained multiple blaster wounds. At least they were alive. That was more than he would have expected from the pirates. Nioman wondered what Samo Agravo would want with him and Sora.

He looked up and saw Mace and Tyrone being pushed into the chamber. Their lightsabers were gone and their hands were bound with electro-cuffs. Neither appeared to be injured which made Nioman wonder how much of a fight they could have put up. He watched as they were led into the cage and pushed in beside him and Sora. Once the door had been latched shut an electric field appeared around the perimeter of the cage, blocking off any chance of escape.

Tyrone studied him and Sora before asking, "Did you even make it out of the sewer?"

Nioman couldn't believe it. Of all times, Tyrone had decided to bait him now. There were so many other things to be doing yet the Jedi Knight had to insult him. Most likely Tyrone was just trying to make the fact that he had surrendered without a fight look better compared to what must have been a dismal performance by Nioman, at least that was how Tyrone would want it to be portrayed.

"Obviously" retorted Nioman, "at least I put up a fight."

"Mace, how much bacta do we have have left?" asked Tyrone. So now he and Mace were 'we'. Now Tyrone's bacta was a shared product. It seemed that in the short time he had spent with Mace Tyrone had already corrupted Nioman's once-friend. Nioman wanted to fight, he wanted to lash out at Mace but he couldn't. His arms still flared from the burns they had received and he was exhausted from all the fighting he had done that day. It had only been that morning that he had been on the Consular Cruiser. Just that morning Reesa had been alive, had talked to him. But he couldn't think about her now. He couldn't get consumed by grief. His anger returned as he heard Mace speak.

"Not much, I'm afraid" replied the Korun. So he was now Tyrone's little disciple. That was just lovely.

"Administer what's left," sighed Tyrone, scowling at Nioman.

As Mace approached him Nioman wanted to push him away but the pain in his arms convinced him otherwise and he allowed Mace to apply the bacta to his wounds. The relief was instantaneous. The pain, of course, was still there but far lessened from the extreme state it had been in. He was about to reluctantly thank Mace when the Korun ruined it all by speaking to him.

"Nioman...what happened?" he asked, in a low enough tone that the others wouldn't hear. At first Nioman thought Mace was asking about his wounds but the looks on the Korun's face implied otherwise. The delicate, measured tone he was using made it seem that we was asking about something deeper. In Nioman's still somewhat befuddled state it took him a moment to realize what Mace might be referring to. He remembered the searching look Mace had given after the duel with Tyrone in the cavern. He knew Mace had suspected what had happened and now, it seemed, he was looking for answers. Answers that Nioman certainly wasn't going to supply. If Mace wanted to know what had happened in the cave then he could ask his new mentor Tyrone Dooku. What made him think Nioman was going to reveal anything to him? After what he had done in the sewer, siding with Tyrone like that, he didn't deserve to be spoken to by Nioman.

"It's none of your business." spat Nioman, pushing himself away from Mace over to Sora until he realized that the Weequay's wounds were being treated by Tyrone. Nioman crawled over to the farthest corner away from Tyrone and Mace and huddled himself there, wanting nothing to do with the other people he was stuck with. Both Mace and Sora were casting him concerned looks but he didn't feel like talking to them right now. He was relieved of doing so when the pirate leader Samo Agravo entered the room and addressed them.

"Ah, here I have my captured Jedi," he said smugly, "quite a fight you put up. Much more than I ever would have thought. I must say I'm impressed. Part of me would like to ransom you off, I'm sure even young ones like you could gather a good price but that't too dangerous. I'll have to settle for your weapons instead. Jedi lightsabers sure do fetch up a good profit if you know where to sell."

"Why did you even put us here if you just plan to kill us anyways?" wondered Mace.

"I guess I just felt like basking in my victory," admitted Agravo, "you don't know how big an accomplishment it is to have killed seven Jedi in one day. I'll be famous in the pirate world!"

"So you're going to kill us" said Mace, "even though Tyrone and I surrendered to you. Don't you have any honor?"

"I suppose not," said Agravo, "but what's I man to do? You're far too dangerous to keep alive and I can't risk other Jedi running off to rescue you so killing you is my only option. I promise I'll make it fast." he ended with a wink, as if that made it all better.

Guns raised, pointed at the four trapped Jedi. However, to shoot their captives the pirates would have to lower the shield that surrounded the cage, leaving only the durastell bars between the Jedi and freedom. But it didn't matter. The shields would only be down for a second before they were riddled with blaster bolts by their captors. The shields went down, rifles prepped. That's when a blast ripped through the wall.

All attention turned to the hole that had been made by the explosion. From where he was Nioman couldn't see what had happened but soon the sounds of conflict erupted and he caught flashes of green among the hail of blaster fire. All of the gunmen that had been prepared to execute Nioman and the others had now turned to fight this new opponent yet the shields that had blocked exit from the cell were still down, leaving only the cage bars to block escape.

Mace gasped, on his face a look of pure shock. "It's...it's" he stuttered, clearly unable to believe whatever he had seen or sensed, "it's Master Saa!"

Tyrone gaped at Mace, "how can you be sure? There's no way to see anything of the fight from here."

"She's my master," argued Mace, "I just know it's her. I can sense that she is here. Our bond, it had been gone but now it just...flared up again. I've never felt anything like it before."

"But it can't be," protested Sora, "there's no way any of them survived on that cruiser. It was overrun by pirates and was blown to shreds just after we left and there weren't any other pods that jettisoned after us."

"Look, I don't know how it happened," said Mace, "but there is no doubt that its her and we need to help her out."

"Which means getting out of this contraption," said Sora, his eyes lighting up.

"But how?" wondered Mace, "we don't have any weapons."

"We don't need those," said Tyrone, "As long as well all work together we should be able to bend the bars enough to let us out of here."

Nioman watched as Tyrone, Mace, and Sora all closed their eyes, reaching out with their hands towards two of the durasteel bars. The metal did a great deal of creaking but other than that it barely moved. The three of them wouldn't be able to do it alone. Nioman knew that the right thing would be to help them but the last thing he wanted to do was 'work together' with Tyrone Dooku. Nioman watched with mixed emotions as the three of them struggled fruitlessly against the bars, trying to bend them apart. Nioman felt both smug that they couldn't succeed without him but also guilty that he was basically condemning them all to death once Master Saa, or whoever was wielding the emerald blade, fell to the continual onslaught of the pirates.

It seemed that Mace and Tyrone both realized what the problem was at the same times as their eyes turned to face Nioman, Mace's wide and Tyrone's glaring, before being hidden by a mask of, not really friendliness but not harshness either. He turned his body to face Nioman and walked a little closer before speaking.

"We are all in this together," he began, his voice very controlled and the effort it was taking not to speak harshly was clear in his tone. "as you said, the masters may all be dead. We are better off fighting together than dividing our forces," Tyrone knelt down to the floor, clearly not above anything to get Nioman on his side at this point, "This mission has been fraught with danger and misunderstandings, if we don't come together none of us will make it out of here alive. We have the Force as our ally, we can make it out of here alive, and salvage the mission, but only if we work together, if we are able to put out disagreements aside. We need your help to complete this task. And to save Master Saa."

Nioman was stunned for a moment. He never would have thought that Tyrone would have reduced himself to all but begging for Nioman to cooperate. The thought that Tyrone had actually admitted that he needed Nioman's help; it was truly surprising. Nioman had been expecting Tyrone to be as commanding and insulted as he had been throughout their time on Tartania. Nioman was not at all prepared for this and it left him off guard, making part of him reconsider his choice and want to help. He didn't care in the slightest if Tyrone died here here but what about Sora. He couldn't let his friend down. And Mace; despite the resentment Nioman still held he wasn't so far gone as to sentence his once-friend to death. In the end there was only one thing he could do, and that was help Tyrone.

"Please Nioman, we need your help.," Tyrone continued, still on his knees so that his head was level with Nioman's, "Master Saa needs your help. If you want to prove how powerful you are, now is that chance,"

So now Tyrone was going to flatter him. He didn't want it to seem like he was giving into pride by showing off his power to Tyrone but...they couldn't do it without him. He could simultaneously accomplish two goals; he could save the others _and_ prove to Tyrone that he was the most powerful of them. Tyrone had refused to admit it after Nioman's victory in the cavern but there was no way he could continue his denial after this. Nioman made his choice. He closed his eyes and felt energy surge outwards towards the bars that prevented his freedom. His power was quickly joined by the efforts of three others and the bars began to strain, slowly pushing away from each other until there was a large enough space to exit through.

"We need our lightsabers," stated Mace.

"Over there!" directed Sora, pointing at a case next to some sort of throne, probably used by Agravo when making announcements, "I saw the pirates put them in there then they brought us in here."

"Not mine," said Tyrone, "I saw Agravo with it."

"Okay then you go after him and we'll get our weapons," instructed Mace, earning a sharp glance from Tyrone who must not have appreciated being given orders by a padawan before the knight sped off after Samo Agravo, leaving the padawans to retrieve their lightsabers from the case Sora had seen them deposited in.

Shortly after regaining possession of his weapon Nioman heard Tyrone's voice ring out from somewhere within the melee.

"You leader is dead." He shouted over the sounds of combat, "You have no reason to continue this fight, I suggest you cease your attacks on us. If you surrender now you will not be harmed. If you refuse and continue fighting I will personally see to it that you will suffer his fate."

The reactions of the pirates were varied. Some dropped their weapons and headed towards Tyrone to escape the wrath of vengeful comrades, some decided to flee while they still had the chance, while many others still refused to give up and continued attacking the Jedi, still hoping for victory. Nioman saw Tyrone over near what had been Agravo's throne accepting the surrenders of those who had chosen that path. Mace had gone off somewhere else, probably rejoining his master. That left Nioman and Sora to deal with the pirates on their side of the chamber.

The fight did not last for much longer. Without their leader and their numbers suddenly cut in half the members of the Glorious Fist were soon captured or disposed of. There were still many who were likely scattered elsewhere throughout the facility but for now the danger was over. The Jedi regrouped in the center of the room. Mace was supporting his master who had wounds covering her body, so many it was a wonder that she was still alive.

One look at Master Saa's condition and Tyrone said, "you are going to need medical attention, master."

"I can go find some bacta," offered Sora.

"Alright," said Tyrone as he went over to the control panel and looked it over. Master Saa had fallen unconscious, leaving Nioman and Mace alone together. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. Mace must have been deciding whether it was better to speak and risk upsetting Nioman again or to just remain silent.

"Look...Nioman," he began hesitantly, "I know that you feel betrayed by what happened in the sewer but I just hope that you wont hold that against me."

Nioman wasn't sure what to say. Perhaps it was a euphoria of finally succeeding in the mission but Nioman didn't feel like hating Mace anymore. He wanted to forget what had happened, he wanted to forget this entire mission. He would probably never fully get over the hurt of the betrayal, particularly as it was in favor of his worst enemy, but perhaps we could try and forgive Mace. Perhaps their friendship might someday return to what it once was.

Nioman sighed, "I don't know why you did what you did," he started off slowly, "but right now I don't feel like holding it against you. An explanation would be nice though. Like why you've suddenly turned into Tyrone's little pet,"

Mace cringed at the last part but his voice was still calm as he replied, "I didn't make that choice to side with Tyrone by any means. I had to follow my heart and my heart told me it was the right thing to do. In the end, the outcome doesn't matter as we were all captured anyways. And as for being his pet, I hope you don't see it that way. But, Nioman, I think we may have perhaps been too harsh in our judgment of him. He isn't a bad person. He has faults but who doesn't? In fact, I think most of what you have experienced if specifically aimed at you and not how he is as a person and, don't hat me for saying this, but you aren't making it easy for him to like you. I think he would have been ready to put aside your differences but...well...after whatever happened in the..."

His voice trailed off there but Nioman knew what he meant. It was obvious that Mace had strong suspicions about what had transpired between Nioman and Tyrone in that cavern but he didn't try to question Nioman about it, for which Nioman was thankful. He didn't know what to think of this new understanding between Mace and Tyrone though. Whether or not Tyrone had ever been willing to be something other than enemies with Nioman didn't matter. After their duel, after the way Tyrone had treated him this entire mission...Nioman wasn't intending to doing any forgiving. Mace could think what he wanted but it wouldn't change Nioman's opinion.

Before Nioman had the chance to say anything Sora re-entered the room with an armful of bacta patches and began applying them to Master Saa's numerous wounds. It was not long before Master Saa regained consciousness and sat up and thanked the padawans for the medical attention she had received, rudimentary as it may be. Once he saw that the master had been revived Tyrone strolled over and began talking.

"Master Saa," he said with a bow, "I would have given my report earlier but you were clearly in no condition to receive it then. I presume your injuries have been tended to."

"Yes, Tyrone," Master Saa said, "your concern is appreciated. Now for your report."

"I have dealt with Samo, he is no more," he said, clearing his throat. "Unfortunately," he continued, looking away, "He refused to surrender. I took appropriate measures and the mission is a success. We should be able to get a transport from the hanger and take our prisoners back to Coruscant. As for the rest of the pirates, those that have not surrendered will be unable to escape as I have sealed off the hangar and all other entrances. They will only open at our convenience now that we control the command center."

"Thank you for the report," Said Master Saa "It appears you to very good care of the padawans, even if you did end up captured. I am glad I was able to locate you. Tt would have been preferable to have Samo surrender, as Jedi we must protect the lives of others but I understand your actions. The Council will be pleased that you were able to handle the situation and complete the missions with the padawans. It appears I was wrong when I objected to you being given a padawan, I can see now that you are ready. Now," the Neti Master said, changing the subject, "We should be able to contact the Republic and request extraction."

"That won't be hard now that we have control of the facility," Tyrone assured.

"And we should get some sleep," Master Saa said, "It has been a long day for us all, our bodies will need rest."

"I will take the first watch," offered Mace, "Since I am the only uninjured one."

"I am the Jedi Knight here, and I should be the one to-" Tyrone began to argue before apparently thinking better of it and relenting "Fine, but don't stay on watch all night."

"That works with me," said Mace before settling down in front of the main entrance. Nioman was slightly annoyed by how easily he interacted with Tyrone but was too tired to really care.

"I'm happy that's been settled," Master Saa said, "And Tyrone, I will expect a full report from you tomorrow, when I can give it the attention if deserves."

"Of course, Master Saa," he said, bowing. Typical Tyrone to suck up to a Jedi Councilor that way. Once again part of Nioman wanted to be irritated but exhaustion won over as it had before. Tomorrow he would have to find a way to explain certain things to the Council but he was far too tired to worry about that now. All his worry, all his anger, all his pain; he would leave it behind, if only for a few hours. It was with that thought that he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**A/N: Finally, it is over! Now I can move on to better things with this story. Hope you enjoyed the pirate arc and it's not that I hate it, far from, I actually really enjoyed doing it, I'm just eager to move on with the story.**

**And now this and Candace's stories have been added to a community called "World of Different Destiny" and there is also a forum for discussion of these works called "Discussion for the world of Different Destiny and related stories" so please visit those but don't forget to review this as well!**


	13. Chapter 13: Loss

,

**Chapter 13: Loss**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman awoke to the sounds of muttered conversation. When he opened his eyes he saw Master Saa chatting with Mace and Sora over breakfast. So lighthearted, so nonchalant. As if they hadn't all just faced all the trials of the previous day. As if...Reesa. She was dead now. For five years Nioman had awoken to the gentle touch of her Force presence. Now there was just emptiness. The presence of his master had always invigorated Nioman. Now he felt hollow and empty without it. Mace could be happy, his master had been saved by some grace of the Force. Sora, well he and Master Difusal had never been close, he would be able to move on from his master's death with little trouble. But Nioman, happiness seemed so far away to him. Jedi values didn't matter right now, he had pushed back the sorrow and the loss to defeat the pirates, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by Reesa's death.

Nevertheless he rose and approached the others, trying to mask his feelings, it wouldn't do to have Master Saa realize how much Reesa's death had affected him. He was already walking a fine line to avoid being kicked out of the Order, he need the Council to see what state his emotions were in. Granted, Master T'ra Saa had never seemed as stiff and unforgiving as the other masters on the Council but she still couldn't be trusted, no one could. the masters feared him, the rest of the Order followed the every whim of the Council and even Mace, Nioman's closest friend, had proved he couldn't be trusted. Reesa had been the only person Nioman could really confide in, now she was gone. Now he had no one.

Nioman tried to eat as the others talked but he couldn't stand listening to the easy conversation and he soon excused himself. He wandered about the base aimlessly for a while but everywhere he looked seemed to bring back painful memories. Several passageways were scorched from the combat that had raged through them. Every empty table, every empty bed. So much lost life. Though it wasn't the pirates he was thinking of but his master. As hard as he tried he couldn't keep his mind off of Reesa. He soon found himself in the hangar, the strange sun of Tartania cast the place in an eerie green light. Funny, he hadn't noticed that yesterday...perhaps it was just like that in the morning.

Then he heard voices. They were dim, probably inside one of the ships that was now trapped due to the shield that glowed overhead, only adding to the unnatural glow left by the green sun. His Force sense intensified, searching out the owners of the voices. They must have tried to escape but after realizing it was impossible with the Jedi in control of the Command Center they must have decided to stow away on board one of the freighter haulers. It was not long before Nioman's senses located the men, as he had suspected, in a cargo ship. His hand reached for his lightsaber nearly on its own accord. Those men would pay for what they had done. They would pay for all the agony they had caused him. They would pay for Reesa's death.

They never saw it coming. Within moments they all lay dead on the floor of the room where they had been drinking and gambling, totally unaware of how close death was. His yellow blade had burned their lives away in mere seconds. They would never hurt anyone again. No more live would end because of them. Yet it didn't make Nioman feel any better. Reesa would have never wanted him to do that. To kill all those men without a second thought, without even letting them surrender. She would have never approved of such a thing. What had he done? He had killed them in a fit of rage, in a fit of revenge. What had happened to him? He was now out for revenge. He collapsed on the floor, unable to handle his actions. His thoughts turned yet again to Reesa, to his last conversation with her.

It had been after an incident with Tyrone. Dooku had been being his typical self. It had been as the Jedi were entering the ship to leave for Tartania. The masters had already entered the ship and Nioman had moved to follow Reesa when an invisible force had stopped him in his tracks. Tyrone had been going on about how masters were to enter first, then knights, and padawans last and how Nioman was acting out of place. Needless to say Nioman had been furious. Tyrone had really just been showing off but not only that he proceeded to taunt Nioman.

"You are projecting again," he had said in that arrogant tone he had always used with Nioman, "Of course, still being a padawan you wouldn't have better control of your emotions, perhaps if you ever make it as a Knight you might maintain some semblance of control, though I doubt it. But for your sake, try to reign in some control of not just your master but all the masters will be able to read your distaste toward a Knight of the Order as easily as I can now."

"Just because you are Yoda's pet does not mean that you are somehow better than everyone else." Nioman had retorted, "I'm sure under an ordinary master you would never have made it to knight or been granted a padawan. You're a miserable-" He had ranted before being cut off by Mace, trying to keep the peace as always. He had warned Nioman that talking to a Knight of the Order that way would only land him in hot water with the masters. Nioman would have accepted that and moved on but Tyrone had to talk again.

"Jealous? In your secret heart of hearts you wish Master Yoda had chosen you but believe me; you are and will always be just second best." Tyrone had purred before stalking into the ship and leaving Nioman fuming.

Reesa had obviously sensed Nioman's anger and after the ship had taken off she had come into his quarters to speak with him about it. She would always make time to talk to him if he had a problem with something. She knew how Nioman felt about Tyrone, all the harm he had wished on the arrogant Jedi Knight. Reesa may not have approved of the way he handled himself but she understood him and that was enough for Nioman. He had often felt that that trust was the only thing keeping him going through the Order as he constantly worried about slipping up and the Council pouncing on him for it. He always had so much more to prove than other Jedi, but not around Reesa. With his master Nioman could be exactly who he was and be accepted for that.

He remembered sitting on the cot in the quarters he had been given on the ship, staring at his lightsaber hilt. For some reason studying the artfully crafted device calmed him down. Though it was of little help on this occasion. Nioman heard the door slide open and the soft footsteps of his master as she went to sit down beside him. She waited a moment for Nioman to clip his lightsaber back to his belt and look over at her before speaking.

"Nioman," she sighed, though he was unsure if she was exasperated at him, Tyrone, or both of them, "what did Tyrone do this time that bothered you so much?" she asked, though she surely already knew the answer.

"Nothing more than normal," said Nioman, not really feeling like discussing the issue, "Just the typical flaunting of his rank."

"We both know there is something more than that," She said knowingly.

"I'm just..worried that he is going to do something that will provoke the Council to throw me out."

"You're worried that Tyrone will try to make you look worse in front of Master Difusal and that the Council will act on that."

"I know it will." Nioman said, trying to keep his composure, "you know they don't trust me. You know that Difusal is looking for an opportunity to get me expelled. What if Tyrone does something and I end up messing up and get-" His voice broke. All the contained worries pouring to the surface.

"Nioman," Reesa said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "as long as I am here I will make sure that the Council never expels you from the Order."

"How can you promise that? You know how much they mistrust me, Difusal wont let you stand in his way."

"While it is true that there is suspicion of you among the Council you judge the masters too harshly. Master Difusal is not aiming for your removal from the Order, he is simply...worried."

"Why?" exclaimed Nioman, his voice rising, "why is it that everyone is so worried that I will destroy the Order or whatever they think I'm going to do."

"I honestly do not know for sure but Master Yoda has seen things. Exactly what I have not been told but the Council is worried about what you may do in the future and the Dark Side is getting stronger, we have all felt it. No one is sure what it means but the Council is worried."

"But what have I done to make them think I will be the cause of whatever trouble is coming?"

"I do not know why the Council holds this belief but please know that I have complete confidence in you and I know you will make the right choice whenever the time comes that you hit that crossroads in your life."

"Thank you, master. That...really means a lot to me."

"And Nioman, don't let Tyrone get you down. I don't know why it is that he dislikes you so much but just avoid him and if something happens try not to antagonize him. And you know that you do," she added with a wink as she got up.

"I can't help it, he just gets to me like no one else."

"Yes, and that is one of the things you will learn to overcome. All Jedi must deal with adversity at some point. And take to heart what I said, despite what anyone else thinks I have complete confidence in you."

Those were the last words she had really said to Nioman. He had spent the rest of his journey either spending time with Mace and Sora or meditating while Reesa had been busy with the other masters. The last thing she had said to him. Her assurance of her confidence in his ability to make the right choices. How he had completely contradicted those words. He had allowed his anger to control him and used some long forgotten Sith power when he fought Tyrone, he had rebelled against the knight at every possible chance and was now surrounded by the corpses of the men he had killed mercilessly, without even giving them a chance. How ashamed she would be of him now. She had held complete faith in him and now he had failed so miserably to live up to those expectations. How thoroughly he had spoiled her memory. He was disgusted with himself.

Nioman looked around him. The dead pirates were still strewn about the floor. Nioman couldn't be seen like this, that would surely get him expelled. He stormed out of the freighter and realized just how bright it had become outside. The green hue of the light had been almost completely replaced by yellow, it must be getting later in the day. He switched on his datapad and it read 0830. Master Saa would want them to gather for the report soon and he couldn't let anyone find him here. Nioman rushed through the corridors before encountering Sora coming in his direction.

"Oh, good you're coming," the Weequay said, "Mace sent me to go get you, we're getting started."

"Looks like I'm just in time then," Nioman said, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Yeah, Mace didn't want Tyrone to make a scene about you being late. He is still watching out for you, Mace is. I know that you're mad at him but well..."

"Yeah, I know." said Nioman, not wishing to discuss Mace. Right now he didn't really know where the Korun stood with him. He was happy to see that Mace still cared to some extent but Nioman wouldn't be so quick to forgive. "well, let's get going" he said, moving toward the Command Center once more.

Sora cast Nioman one last concerned look before following him to where Mace, Tyrone, and Master Saa had already gathered.

"Ah, now that we have all gathered, Tyrone I will have your report," Said, Master Saa, smiling at Nioman and Sora as they entered.

"Of course, Master Saa," obliged Tyrone, giving a ridiculous little bow, "We were able to get the crew of our ship into escape pods though many were blasted away and we haven't seen any survivors since crashing here ourselves. There was a small debate as to what we would do but we made it into an escape pod as ordered," he said while giving a fleeting glance at Nioman not to contradict him, "We crashed on into a pirate base and were forced to fight them. As Jedi, we offered them the chance to surrender but, sadly, they refused to see reason so we took appropriate measures. Eventually I found myself with Padawan Dokoora in a cavern," he continued once again glancing over at Nioman, "I had thought the worst was behind us but it seems there was some essence of darkness but we were able to fight it off and emerged victorious. Not long after that Padawans Windu and Bulq were able to free us from the cavern."

"Make sure to put that in your report to the Council," said Master Saa as Tyrone paused to take a breath.

"Of course, master." assured Tyrone, "In that time Padawans Windu and Bulq had found some speeders and were able to locate this base so we came here to complete our mission. We tried to take Samo Agravo into custody but he escaped us and tried to poison us with toxic gas but we were able to escape through the sewer, "Nioman noticed how his accomplishment of discovering that escape route was left out of the report, "Since our ship was destroyed Padawans Bulq and Dokoora went on recon to look for an escape vessel should we require one but they were unfortunately captured on their errand as were Padawan Windu and I as we tried to apprehend Agravo"

"It was unwise of you to go after him without waiting for Nioman and Sora," stated Master Saa

"Of course but an opportunity had arisen and we took it though ultimately that move was a failure. We had been taken into custody and were all about to be executed when you arrived. As you know I went after Agravo once more but was forced to end his life. I take full responsibility for his fate and any other failures on this mission."

"You have proved to be a responsible leader and a good Jedi," Master Saa praised, "and as for any misdeeds you are still young and will learn from those mistakes."

"Of course, Master Saa," said Tyrone with another of his little bows, "but what about you? How did you manage to escape the ship?"

"First I must begin with condolences," the Neti master said, meeting Sora's and then Nioman's eyes where her gaze remained for a moment longer than expected, "Nioman, Sora, I am so sorry," she began, "We did all we could...I did all I could. In the end this mission was a success but we lost two wonderful Jedi Masters. Masters Doliq and Difusal both fought gallantly but, in the end, we were simply outnumbered. There were just so many of them, too many to fight and they didn't make it. These pirates were more prepared than we, more aggressive, and willing to use underhanded means to fulfill their goal. But they have been dealt with now and Reesa's and Tor's deaths were not in vain. I suggest we all release our feelings into the Force," she said, though Nioman felt it was specifically directed toward him, "new masters will be assigned to Nioman and Sora."

Nioman hadn't thought of that yet. How would he be able to cope with another master. There were at least three years left in his training that would now be handled by some master he didn't know. He already knew the Council would assign one of its own members to mentor, or as it was, to guard him. He didn't know how he would fare with a member of the Council always looking over his shoulder but he knew for sure it would be unpleasant. If only Tyrone hadn't stopped him from saving Reesa, perhaps now she would still be alive. He should have at least given Nioman that chance. His thoughts were broken as Mace spoke.

"But master, if there were so many how did you make it out?" wondered Mace.

"I was lucky," Master Saa admitted, "the pirates were less vigilant now the the masters were dead and you all were gone so I was able to sneak past them on to one of their ships just before it took off and our Consular Cruiser was destroyed. I had to wait in that tiny storage compartment for hours, waiting for them to leave that ship to I could sneak out. I might have been able to fight my way out but I knew you all were still alive and I didn't want to blow your cover by alerting the pirates to a Jedi presence in their base. Finally they left and I was able to go in search of you only to find that you had been captured. I knew you needed a distraction in order to escape that cage so, despite my battered condition, I managed to diverge their attention for long enough. In the end, it was the will of the Force that brought us all together and that kept us alive to complete our task."

"I am glad that you survived master," said Mace with a smile.

"I would not have been able to succeed alone, it is thanks to all of you and your ability to function without me or the other masters that ultimately led to the success of this mission. But now I hear our transport coming to take us back home to Coruscant so let us prepare to leave this Force-forsaken rock."

* * *

><p>It felt so good to watch as the rounded hunk of rock that had been the setting of so much misery to fade away as the Acclamator Class starship left Tartania behind it. It would be a long journey back to Coruscant and Nioman made himself comfortable in an empty quarters. As he sat cross-legged on the floor he could sense the merriment of the other Jedi as they enjoyed each others' company out in the mess hall but Nioman felt no inclination to join them. He didn't know how the others could be so carefree after all that had happened the previous day. As soon as the ship had landed on the desolate plain outside the pirate base Jedi High Councilor Ramo Batrorio had rushed out and begun a muttered conversation with Master Saa as she informed him of the loss of Reesa and Master Difusal. After boarding the ship, however, all the others seemed to be in good spirits but not Nioman. Perhaps it was simply because he had lost more than any of them or perhaps they all had no trouble pushing aside all the horrors that Tartania had brought. Whatever it was, Nioman was in no mood to join in whatever festivities were taking place.<p>

Nioman's thoughts were so concentrated inward at sorting out his emotions that he only noticed Master Saa's presence when she sat down on the floor across from him. Nioman quickly erected mental shields, hoping she hadn't seen anything that he would rather not be noticed by a Jedi Master. The last thing he wanted was a lecture on emotional control.

"Mind if I meditate with you?" she asked though it was hardly a question. It wasn't as if he could refuse a member of the High Council like that. Thankfully nothing in her demeanor made him feel ill at ease. To the contrary, her presence was soft and comforting, as if she genuinely did care. Once again Nioman felt a twinge of uncertainty in his opinion of the Council. But he reminded himself that Master Saa was only one among many, he had seen enough of the others to know that they were not the same.

Nioman had never been a fan of communal meditation. He didn't like how close it would bring others to his feelings. It left him so open for others to judge and he knew that he would be judged by other Jedi. The only person Nioman had ever meditated with was Reesa, never with other Jedi, not even with Mace and Sora. It left him too vulnerable and he had too much to hide anymore. Only with Reesa could he open up.

But no, he couldn't think about Reesa, not with Master Saa here. If she saw how badly affected he was she would deem it as an attachment which would surely lead to consequences with the Council. But he didn't sense any of that from the Neti master. There wasn't any suspicion, she didn't try to investigate his feelings. She quietly kept her distance as she emanated peace and serenity. It was not long before Nioman felt his shields begin to slide out of place. He felt himself relax, opening up just the slightest bit to the warmth of the woman who sat opposite him.

"I did everything I could for Reesa," Master Saa said after a long silence, "I want you to know that but, in the end, there was nothing I could do. She made her choice and because of it we are still here."

"I know you did," Nioman said truthfully, "but I didn't," he said, the regret that he had been fighting off for the last two days welling up once again inside him.

"You made the right choice, Nioman. You made the choice that she wanted you to."

"But Jedi are supposed to protect all life, regardless of the personal consequences," Nioman quoted, "shouldn't that have come first?"

"We all knew the possible consequence. Every time a Jedi faces danger he or she must come to terms with that possibility. And with the destruction of the Glorious Fist many lives have been saved."

"But more enemies will always come up. All we do is silence one faction for another to arise in its wake. There aren't enough Jedi to stop evil from surfacing."

"That is true," agreed Master Saa, "but we Jedi will always be here to prevent its domination. If not for us the Galaxy would be completely overrun by such men as the ones we fought yesterday. Have hope, Nioman, this life is not entirely hopeless. I believe that one day true peace will finally come to the Galaxy."

"How can you know that?" wondered Nioman.

"I have faith," the Neti said simply, "I believe that one day true balance will come to the Force and our duty will finally be done."

"I...how..." Nioman stuttered, searching for the right words.

"Meditate on it." Master Saa encouraged, "discover the answer for yourself. I will leave you now but think on this. Life is not as hopeless as it appears at a glance."

Nioman had not at all been expecting this conversation. As Master Saa slipped out of the quarters he thought about how different she had been than what he had always expected Council members to be like. Almost all the other masters he had treated him with that superior attitude. Most other master had never really considered him, let alone cared. All they worried about was if he would be a danger to them. But Master Saa had encouraged him, had genuinely tried to help him move past his grief. More than tried, she had somewhat alleviated the pain of his loss. It was still there, Nioman still missed Reesa more than anything but he was more at terms with it now.

As for what Master Saa had said about hope, Nioman didn't know what to think about that. Reesa had always said that the Jedi made the best they could of the Galaxy and endeavored to improve it as much as they could but that there was only so much they could do to change it. That, while they could quell rebellion after rebellion, disable pirate organization after pirate organization but there would always be more that would be unsatisfied and break the peace. Master Saa, however, had said she had hope for the Galaxy's future, that one day true peace would finally come, that the Jedi would no longer have to fight. But Nioman couldn't make himself believe that. The more Nioman saw of the Galaxy, the more he saw of all those afflicted people outside the prosperous core, the more he saw outside of Coruscant, the more he believed that oppression would continue on. For the thousands of years of Jedi existence they had been unable to stop it, barely even improved it at all. He just didn't see how it would change. Evil would always crop up and eventually the Jedi would be unable to stop it. Evil could never be defeated so in the end it would be those who defended the good that would perish. Nioman just hoped that time was a long way off.

**A/N: Hello again readers, it has been a while but I have had other work with Candace and this chapter was pretty hard. I apologize if the flow is a little jittery but I spread this chapter out throughout the last two weeks almost so that would be why. I also encourage readers to go check out my forum here: [ forum/Discussion-for-the-world-of-Different-Destiny-and-related-stories/149145/] for conversation and, if people are interested, sneak peeks.**

**Also, I am very shortly going to have a real cover image done by the wonderful Talicor. Go check out her story Sheep in Wolf's Clothing.**

**And don't forget to check out Candace's stories if you haven't already and if you do please review, even if it is just a little one to say you liked as reviews are really appreciated right now. Oh, and don't forget to review this. If you do, I will try to check out any stories of yours.**

**Oh, and in response to a guest review for Chapter 12, what you said is probably more accurate to what it really is but remember that Nioman is looking through a somewhat warped perception of Tyrone so his opinions will be a but off from the fact. And, at this point, Tyrone is still trying very much to please the Council.**

**See you next update, hope you enjoyed!**


	14. Chapter 14: Struggles

**Chapter 14: Struggles**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

The next morning Nioman reluctantly convened on the ship's bridge with the other Jedi as they landed on Coruscant. He wasn't thrilled to be there but Master Batrorio had wanted everyone present for some reason. Mace and his master were standing at the viewport looking down over the glittering expanse of Coruscant, Master Batrorio was talking to a holo of Master Yoda, and Sora sat off to the side idly picking at a scab on his wrist. Oddly enough, Tyrone wasn't present yet. Of all people he was the one Nioman least expected to be tardy.

Nioman joined Sora and watched as the ship descended blow the smoke-tainted clouds and the Jedi Temple came into view. It stood as a proud beacon of peace and security above the artificial landscape of polished buildings that surrounded it. Nioman could almost imagine a faint glow simmering about the four towers that rose from the main expanse of the Temple. This was home, and Nioman was glad to be back.

* * *

><p>As soon as the Acclamator Class cruiser touched down in the main hangar of the Jedi Temple and the boarding ramp descended Nioman separated himself from the others. He dimly noted Tyrone happily reuniting with his padawan Qui-Gon Jinn and several Jedi Masters engaging in a muttered conversation with Masters Saa and Batrorio as they headed off in the direction of the High Council Tower. Nioman didn't care. All he wanted to do was return to his own quarters. There he could be truly alone for the first time since leaving the temple five days ago. Had it really only been five days? It seemed like so much longer. He had only been on the Force-forsaken moon of Tartania for twenty-four hours yet it felt like a year. So much had happened there. He had changed so much in that time. In some ways he had grown, in others...not so much. Before the fight with Tyrone Nioman had never truly believed there was a dark side of the Force. The older masters often spoke about the Sith and what an abomination they had been but that had all been so long ago. But now, after what had happened in the cavern, well something had been there, urging him on in his assault of Tyrone. In fact, in his report to Master Saa Tyrone had even spoken of a dark spirit. At the time Nioman had disregarded the theory as a cover-up for what had really happened but now he realized that it really was possible.<p>

Nioman realized that as he had been immersed in his thoughts he had arrived at his quarters and now had his hand poised over the keypad. He must have been so accustomed to going to his quarters that his feet had taken him there without him putting in any conscious effort. He dialed in the entry code and stepped inside. The main room was exactly as it had been left, exactly as it always looked in fact. On the far wall there were the various appliances that made up the kitchen, a few feet in front of that sat a small table with two chairs on opposite ends. Most of the rest of the room was left open for basic fencing practice or exercising though there were two armchairs and a small desk huddled over to one side. There were two doors in the room that led to Nioman's and Reesa's bedrooms.

The quarters felt so empty. After every mission Nioman would always return to his quarters after a mission with Reesa and they would unpack their few belongings as they chatted about their last assignment. Now there was just silence. Without Reesa the quiet dwelling took on an almost eerie feel. It felt wrong without her cheerful presence. Nioman felt out of place as he unpacked alone. He tried to meditate but he couldn't concentrate on anything useful and the stark contrast to what he was used to made it nearly impossible. He tried to sleep but he had spent most of the previous day resting and his body wouldn't relax. Earlier Nioman had been happy for the hours before the report to the Council to spend some time alone but now it only made things worse. He decided that it would be best to leave his quarters for now, it encouraged too many painful thoughts right now.

After a little deliberation Nioman decided to head off to the combat practice wing of the Temple. It was so huge that he could be alone and practicing with his lightsaber would occupy his thoughts and keep them from wandering to painful subjects. He hurried over to a training droid in the emptiest part of the massive chamber and and set it to Makashi on the highest level. While Nioman had been able to hold his own against Tyrone he needed to be better than that. He hadn't been able to end the duel by his dueling skills alone and that was a problem. Makashi was easily his weakness right now and he needed to overcome that. He couldn't afford to have any weaknesses in his technique. The only problem was that the droid wasn't much of a challenge. It wasn't that the programming was poor, the Temple used droids with top-of-the-line processing capabilities but it still didn't compare to a human opponent. What Nioman really needed was someone who was a master of Makashi. Mace and Sora both used more aggressive forms so they would be out and even if Reesa had been alive she used a more fluid and moving form. Nioman didn't know anyone who practiced Makashi and would be good enough for him to spar with. It wasn't as if he could ask Tyrone to practice with him.

"Hey Nioman," called a voice and Nioman looked up from touching his training saber to the neck of the droid, effectively beheading it, to see Sora approaching him, "I looked in your quarters but you weren't there so i thought I'd look here."

"I needed to be able to keep my mind off the mission," answered Nioman, mostly telling the truth.

"Are you sure you should be practicing though with your arms still injured?" asked Sora

"I actually didn't think about it," replied Nioman, the medical supplies taken from the pirate base had worked wonders for his burns and he hadn't thought much about them.

"Okay, well I just know how bad they were, but they don't seem to be bothering you so it can't hurt," reasoned Sora, never one to let an injury get in the way of saber practice, "Oh, and about your master, well I'm really sorry. I know you were really close and all. Much more than Tor ever was with me." suddenly the mood went from light to uncomfortable, Sora was never good at being tactful. Sometimes he would say things without realizing that he entering uncomfortable subjects.

"Yeah, we were," said Nioman, trying to brush off the question, "so what do you think will happen to us, now that we don't have masters?" he said, changing the subject.

"I don't know," said Sora, pondering the question, "so few Jedi masters ever die so this must not be a situation the Council runs into very often."

"I guess they'll send us off to some high-up masters that can keep an eye on us to make sure we don't get into trouble," said Nioman, making little effort to hide the resentment at the way he was constantly treated by the Council.

"Probably," agreed Sora, "we just have such out-of-this-galaxy skills they need make sure we don't misbehave...or maybe they are secretly trying to improve their own skills by watching us," he said with a wink.

Nioman laughed, something he hadn't done in what seemed like forever. Sora had a way of bringing out a lighter side of Nioman that most people couldn't. Even if he was a little careless in his speech he was still more easygoing than Mace. That is, except when he got frustrated, in which he could get very grouchy indeed. Still, Nioman enjoyed his company right now, he needed someone to keep his thoughts light. They sparred aimlessly for a while, not very seriously. However, any time Nioman started really concentrating Sora began to complain.

"How is it that you are able to counter everything I do?" he wondered, "yet your moves are so unpredictable"

"I'm not strictly adhering to a form of combat," Nioman explained, "you are. Probably has to do with the strict method I'm sure Difusal used with you. Using Niman I know enough about the other lightsaber forms that I'm able to predict what you are going to do."

"What we really need is something like what you do...but more aggressive," said Sora, "you tend to jump all around but aren't able to push through my defenses. It works okay if you can find an opening but with Forms II and III that would be harder to do."

"Well, I don't know what to say to that. I guess you just need to learn to improvise a little more."

They continued on discussing the matter and casually sparring until Nioman's comm went off, signaling that it was time to report to the Council. They only had to wait with Mace a short time outside the Council chamber before being admitted. As Nioman entered the circular chamber he couldn't help but notice the empty seat next to Master Yoda which had once belonged to Master Difusal. He scanned the faces of the Jedi Masters in front of him. The Wookiee Master Tyvokka with a blank screen behind his seat which was likely used to translate his words for the other Councilors to understand, Master Yoda, whose wrinkled face had a somber expression, Master Oppo Rancisis, whose two pairs of spindly hands were clasped together, his former teacher Yaddle who was dwarfed by a chair considerably larger than her diminutive body, Master Ramo Batrorio, in conversation with Master Saa, who turned and smiled at the padawans as they entered. The other masters of the Council were hidden from his sight as he faced Yoda but he could feel their eyes boring into him, searching him.

"Greetings, padawans," said Master Batrorio, "but where is Knight Dooku? I can't imagine he would ever be late for a report to us."

"I don't know," answered Mace, "I didn't see him at all since he arrived. Last I knew he had went to the healers"

All eyes turned to Master Yoda who only frowned. Before the ancient master could say anything, however, a boy of perhaps twelve years burst into the chamber.

"Masters!" he said breathlessly, giving a quick bow, "I'm supposed to tell you that Knight Dooku wont be able to give a report. He blacked out and is with Aelynn right now."

"What happened?" asked Master Saa.

"I don't know," said the boy "Aelynn wouldn't say but she told me it was bad and he will be out for at least a few more hours"

"Thank you for notifying us, Qui-Gon," said Master Yoda, "now return to your quarters, you should. Check on Knight Dooku after we are done, I will."

The boy, who Nioman now recognized as Tyrone's padawan Qui-Gon, bowed again before leaving. The masters exchanged looks that ranged from worried to annoyed but it was Master Tyvokka who broke the silence. He growled something in the Wookiee language and words appeared on the screen, they read "_are you sure we should allow that particular healer to deal with Dooku's injuries, whatever they are. You know she is unreliable."_

"I agree," said Master Batrorio, "should we really let that...creature take care of him. She could end up hurting him."

"Assure you, I do, that Aelynn is a perfectly capable healer," said Master Yoda in defense of this Aelynn, "one of the best healers in the temple, she is."

"Alright, maybe she is," argued Master Batrorio, "but she's unstable. You must have heard about what happened this morning with the other healers."

"Please let's not have this conversation now," pleaded Master Rancisis, "I know that some of you don't like having Aelynn around but Master Yoda has been adamant and we have other matters to discuss."

Nioman wondered what sort of a person this Aelynn was to have such a reputation among the Council. Clearly she must have caused some sort of problems for them to worry so much about Tyrone being in her care. He'd have to find out for himself who Aelynn was, he was actually very curious now as to what sort of a person could have these masters so riled.

"Indeed," said Master Yoda, "with Ty absent, in his stead, will the padawans have to give their report."

"Master Saa has already told us of what has happened," informed Master Rancisis, "but we wish to hear details from you as well."

Nioman was now in a position he hadn't planned on. He had expected Tyrone to handle the report but now he wasn't there. Nioman scrambled to remember what all Tyrone had used as alibis for certain actions that wouldn't be viewed on well by the Council. If his report didn't fit exactly with the one Tyrone had given Master Saa they could end up in serious trouble. Thankfully Mace saved the day by stepping in and beginning the report.

So far as Nioman could tell Mace's report matched everything Tyrone had told Master Saa while still managing to cast everyone in the best possible light. Nioman had to admit that Mace was doing a much better job than he ever could have. It was very natural for Mace to take control of a situation and take a leadership position. Occasionally that meant he and Nioman would butt heads but right now Nioman was very grateful for his friend's ability. Nioman found it wasn't difficult to believe that Mace's retelling of events was how it had actually happened. If only it had. How much simpler the mission would have been. Nioman realized that it was his constant disagreement with Tyrone that had caused so many of their problems. But he had been in the right. If Mace had only joined him they could have taken over the hangar.

So immersed in his thoughts was Nioman that the sudden change when Mace stopped talking completely threw his mind off-balance for a second. Mace must have finished his report while Nioman was convincing himself that he had made the right choices on Tartania. From what Nioman could tell the Council seemed convinced. They looked about at each other, the typical looks of contemplation adorning their faces. At last, Master Yoda spoke and Nioman realized the diminutive Jedi Master was addressing him directly.

"Hmm, about this cavern, anything to add, have you, Nioman?" he asked.

Nioman was caught off guard. What was he supposed to say? He couldn't very well tell the truth. Even besides the entire affair with Tyrone, he hadn't even told anyone about his first encounter with the voice that had urged him on. That is what he had heard in the cave. Three years it had been silent and it returned in his darkest moment. But he couldn't tell the Council that. If he started speaking he might not be able to stop but he had to say something, all eyes were on him expectantly.

"I...I don't know," he began, "I've never felt something like it before. I don't know how to explain it. I'm just glad Tyrone was there to help me fend it off." Nioman could barely force the last words out. They were the farthest thing from the truth, they were disgusting, they were just...there wasn't a word bad enough to describe it. But it is what the Council world want to hear so he forced himself through that torture. Then he noticed Sora staring, wide-eyed at him and he had to elbow the Weequay to prevent suspicion. Force, sometimes Sora was so stupid.

"hmm, sure that all you have to say, this is, young Nioman?" asked Master Yoda and Nioman thought he could hear slight suspicion in the ancient master's voice.

"Yes, masters," he Nioman, giving a slight bow, "that is everything."

"I see," said Master Yoda, "speak with Ty on this matter I will once recovered, he has. A great darkness I sense in this matter. Very disturbing it is. Investigate further, we must."

"Master," said Master Rancisis, shooting a warning glance over at Master Yoda. Clearly, some on the Council did not wish to speak on this matter in present company.

"Hrmph, yes. Dismissed, you are, padawans."

"Yes, and remember, the funerals are at dusk," reminded Master Saa.

As soon as they had exited the Council chamber Sora rounded on Nioman.

"What is up with you all of a sudden being all chummy with Tyrone. I thought you hated him, now you're going and saying he saved you. What's wrong with you?"

"Sora," sighed Mace, "it was an act. He had to say something like that, right Nioman?"

"Yeah," agreed Nioman, a little shaken, "that's what they want to hear. They all adore him so much," he added, spitting on a nearby column. It was infuriating, let alone disgusting the way the Council idolized Tyrone and he them, it made Nioman want to throw up.

"Well, I guess that's true but, Nioman, what did happen in there?" questioned Mace, asking the one thing Nioman had hoped so much wouldn't be brought up Don't try to get out of it this time, I know something happened in there, I could sense it."

"Yeah, fess up, Nioman," added Sora. It looked like Nioman wouldn't be able to get out of it this time. They had his back against the all, literally. He would have to tell them something. He wondered how little he could get away with saying. Why couldn't they just leave him alone and mind their own business. And then there was the doubt pricking at Nioman that Mace actually might retell what he said to the Council.

"Look, Tyrone and I fought," said Nioman measuredly, making sure not to reveal more than was necessary, "lightsabers got involved, okay. It really is none of your business anyway."

"You mean you dueled him?" said Mace, his mouth falling open. Nioman didn't think he had ever seen his friend so shocked, "you realize if the Council found out-"

"Mace, I know," snapped Nioman, "you think I haven't thought about that myself. We can't let them find out!"

"What if Tyrone spills?" wondered Sora

"He wont," assured Nioman, "he has too much to lose as well. He wouldn't want to see his precious reputation destroyed. No, he'll keep it quiet. He knows that if he doesn't, he'll have me to answer to."

"Nioman, you wouldn't" said Mace, a scowl forming on his face.

"Oh, wouldn't I?" asked Nioman.

"You couldn't-" protested Mace.

"I could," said Nioman, "now get out of my way and let me be." With that he pushed past them and stalked back to his quarters. Any levity from earlier that day had completely vanished. The funeral for Reesa and Master Difusal were still four hours away, that would give Nioman plenty of time alone with his thoughts. Great, just what he needed. He thought about visiting the healers to check on his burns but he was not in the mood to have people fussing over him and telling him all the things he did wrong. He tried to think of what he used to do in a normal day at the Temple. Most of it involved Reesa. Practicing with her, meditating with her, talking with her. With Reesa gone what would Nioman do with himself?

Nioman decided to return to the fencing center. At least practicing with his ligthsaber gave him something to focus on and anyone could improve, even him. In fact, the lack of skill was clearly demonstrated by the duel with Tyrone, he had already noticed that. Only constant practice would make him the best swordsman in the Order. He practiced for hours and hours until he was drenched in sweat and his whole body ached. Finally he returned to his quarters to get cleaned up for the funeral and get a little rest before going through the ordeal that tonight was sure to bring.

* * *

><p>As the artificially generated light of Coruscant drained from the sky Nioman and many other Jedi filed into the massive courtyard where the funerals were to be conducted. Nioman sat down on the bench closest to the crackling flames where the bodies his master and Master Difusal would be placed. He watched the fire as he heard the tapping of Master Yoda's gimer stick as he ascended to the podium overlooking the flames. Once there, the ancient master began to speak.<p>

"Gathered here we have, to remember those who fell on Tartania. Master Tor Difusal and Master Reesa Doliq. Perished in the noble fight against corruption and piracy, they did. Through such a sacrifice was the mission saved and now remember their accomplishments, we will. Mourn them, we will not, Miss them ,we not or death, a natural part of life, it is. With the Force, they are now united. Not forgotten, will they be. As Jedi, grieve for their passing, we do not. As Jedi, learned to accept death, we have. Now, like to begin, who would?"

"I will begin on behalf of Master Difusal," offered Master Rancisis, slithering up to take his place beside Master Yoda and towering over the much smaller Jedi, "Tor Difusal was a great Jedi," began Master Rancisis, "he led the Council for over ten years, always decisive, never wavering from his duty. Despite his leadership role, Tor never hesitated to take to field to improve the state of our galaxy. The sheer power of his words often cowed those who meant harm though when words could not suffice his blade was at the ready to deliver justice. As a swordsman few rivaled his ability and as a leader he was unmatched. Few Jedi have I seen with such a dedication to our Order and its tenets. His contribution to the Jedi was great but despite such a loss we can move on without him. That is all I have to say," concluded the Thisspiasian as he returned to his seat.

What a load of Bantha, thought Nioman as master after master gave nearly identical speeches about how strong and amazing Master Difusal was and how he was such a good leader. Nioman hoped that when Sora went up it would be better but he noticed the faint glow of a datapad which probably meant that Mace had written up something for Sora to say. Sure enough, Sora's speech was depressingly similar to those the masters had given, the only good thing about it was that it was short. Nioman had hoped Sora would be the last to speak about Master Difusal but then he saw Tyrone hobbling up, supported by his padawan. Oh Sith, how would Nioman be able to suffer through this?

"Master Difusal was a prime example of what we as Jedi strive to become," Tyrone began shakily. Nioman wondered what was wrong with him, he hadn't seemed to be in such poor condition that morning, "he was an honorable man and I am proud to have been chosen to serve with him on Tartania. It was thanks to his leadership and that of Master Saa that we were able to complete the mission. Master Difusal was a fair man who always listened, giving only the best advice to those who sought it. He was never to proud to listen to the problems of even a young Jedi Knight such as myself and he always treated everyone fairly, from those to the creche to his cohorts on the High Council." Tyrone paused, looking very unsteady. Again Nioman wondered what ailed him, "I wish Master Difusal were here now. The last time I saw him and Master Doliq I was alongside them battling the pirates but they were soon overrun. I did what I could to save them but it appears the Force had other ideas..." Tyrone's voice trailed off and he collapsed, nearly falling of the podium.

A collective gasp rang through the assembly, all of them shocked at the sudden turn of events. Tyrone's padawan Qui-Gon struggled to support his limp master as other Jedi rushed up to see what the matter was. That's when Nioman realized what might be ailing Tyrone. He remembered the lightning that had cascaded from his fingertips, he remembered how thoroughly it had incapacitated Tyrone. He now remembered noticing the spasms that had assailed Tyrone during the mission, something he hadn't really noticed until now, and how he had felt a strange ripple in the Force. Could it really be the aftereffects of that lightning that was causing all this for Tyrone? What if Tyrone died from it? How would that affect Nioman? Surely if Tyrone died the cause would lead to him. He had to figure out something.

Nioman was drawn out of his thoughts by the voice of Master Batrorio, he looked up and saw the Councilor had taken his place on the podium and had begun to speak. Tyrone had been taken somewhere else. It looked like the Council was trying to draw as much attention as they could away from Tyrone. "As many of you know, Reesa Doliq was once my padawan," began Master Batrorio, "she was a very kind, very understanding person. In my time as her mentor I learned a great deal about myself and about the Force. Sometimes I feel she taught me more than I taught her. At times she may have disagreed with the Council but her heart was always in the right place and her ultimate loyalty was to the Force. She died in the struggle against evil and she did so without any regrets or misgivings. In her life, Reesa touched many of us and I know none who have met her will ever forget her. It is unfortunate that she will cease to touch any more lives but she accepted the fate the Force had willed on her. I know that she is now a part of the Force and I will not grieve for her, I will not mourn her, but I will miss her presence. She was the most caring, the most virtuous person I have ever met." he concluded and stepped down from the podium.

Others followed Master Batrorio, giving their thoughts on Reesa. All the while, Nioman kept noticing glances being cast at him by several of the Jedi Masters. He really they were waiting on him to go up, though they seemed worried. It occurred to him that they probably did not want him to say what was on his mind to the many assembled Jedi. They were probably waiting in trepidation as they knew he would have to say something, for the padawan of a lost Jedi to say nothing at her funeral would be seen as disrespectful, but they dreaded what he might say. Nioman realized he hadn't actually prepared any sort of a speech. That meant that he would say whatever was on his mind which would probably provide the least desirable results for the Council. Eventually Nioman stood up and walked over to the platform overlooking the fire. He stared into the worried faces of the members of the High Council for a moment. Master Batrorio exchanged a glance with Master Yaddle, Master Rancisis was shaking his head slightly, Master Saa's eyebrows were knit together and Master Tyvokka has his face in his paws. After taking a moment to savor their reactions Nioman spoke.

"My master...Reesa was the greatest Jedi, the greatest person I've ever known," Nioman began shakily, "she was kind, she was understanding, she cared about every sentient in the galaxy and would take any effort to improve the lives of those around her. Her knowledge and understanding of the Force was outstanding. She really revealed the full extent of her connection to the Force and the power that came with it but when she did it was truly a sight to behold. I remember when I was chosen as a padawan learner by her, the power she had exhibited but more importantly the understanding she showed me. Despite everything she saw she believed in me.," the words were flowing more freely now and Nioman felt his voice rising as his words rang through the open air, "I remember how she fought for me, despite the wishes of the Council, how she fought to make sure I would be treated fairly, something that would not have happened had the Council gotten its way," Nioman looked on the horrified and angry faces of the Jedi masters in front of him but that only invigorated him, "Despite everything that stood against me Reesa gave me her trust. She had complete and unwavering confidence in me, despite my doubts and my fears. I trusted her completely, I could confide every secret in her and in an Order filled with deceit and corruption that is something I treasured. Now she is gone! She sacrificed herself so that I could live, so that the mission could be saved. She did all that for me yet I was unable to save her! Yet now, despite her example you all sit here in denial!," Nioman was shouting now, pointing an accusing finger at the High Councilors, letting his anger and his passion take control, "Reesa tried to have faith in your leadership, despite the truth that she saw she wanted to believe you could still lead the Jedi order. But you all have failed her! You sit here and you all try to avoid the full measure of your corruption! All the Council cares about anymore is power! None of you care about the Force, about doing the right thing! All who gain power are afraid to lose it, it may take years, it may take centuries but eventually that fear will come and now it has. You all still remain convinced of your righteousness but it is gone! You are all traitors and liars and you are unfit to lead the Jedi!"

Nioman didn't even know what had overcome him, he wasn't even sure if all of what he had accused them of was true but all he could feel was his anger leading him on. He couldn't bare the thought of how little they cared at all of Reesa's death. Nioman wondered if the Jedi Council was even capable of feeling. Still, he needed to get away, he needed to calm himself or he would end up attacking the Councilors and that would surely get him thrown out if his words already hadn't. After shouting his last accusation at their now stunned faces Nioman leaped off the platform, sprinting as fast as he could for his quarters. He didn't hesitate at Mace's calls to come back or the barked shouts of Master Tyvokka, likely threatening him with expulsion from the Order if he did not return to the platform and accept his fate. He just kept running, kept running and running until he reached his quarters, hurriedly dialing the entry code and locking the door behind him. He needed to sort out his thoughts and to do that he needed solitude. the Jedi Council was sure to call him before them the next morning if not tonight and Nioman needed to have a clear head for that ordeal if he stood any chance of remaining in the Order. What a disgrace to Reesa's memory it would be if he were thrown out now. No, whatever it took Nioman would not allow that to happen.

**A/N: Yup, another outburst from Nioman. He really is an emotional wreck, isn't he? I know, I'm picking on him but he knows how much I adore him and how he's my favorite OC I've ever created and so on. Anyways, I am finally done with Tartania and its aftereffects and will probably have just one more chapter before I move on a couple years and wont that be fun! I'd love to do it now but that wouldn't work at all. After all, Nioman needs to go before the Council, he needs to get a new master and needs to meet a very special guest star.**

**Also, if you'd like to know more about this Aelynn character she belongs to the wonderful Talicor so go check out her stories and also, for more Aelynn you can read Candace's Transcending Tyrannus and Twist of Fate. Oh, and if you like this please, please please check out my forum Discussion for the world of Different Destiny. I know I've mentioned it several times already but seriously, I'd love it. And if you like this read Candace's Transcending Tyrannus, it is just as good. And if I haven't made enough demands already please review, I'd really love to know what you people think. Even if you would just like to discuss the story either review, PM me, or head to the forum.**

**Thanks for reading, see you all soon.**

**And thanks a lot, Candace, you really helped get this chapter done in a timely manner ;-)**


	15. Chapter 15: Moving On

**Chapter 15: Moving On**

**48 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman awoke early the morning after the disastrous funeral. He wanted to be out of his quarters before other Jedi went looking for him. He slipped out of his room and made for a place he never thought he would; the living quarters of Tyrone Dooku. It was a risky plan and there were several things Nioman was counting on. First and foremost, he hoped that Tyrone wouldn't be there, as he would be very unlikely to help Nioman. The plan also required that Reesa's entrance key that Jedi Masters were granted hadn't been deactivated yet.

As light began to filter in through the windows of the Jedi Temple Nioman reached his destination. He needed to hurry, soon there would be Jedi out and about and Nioman would rather not be caught with his master's access key. He swiped the card and gained entry to Tyrone's quarters. It was, as Nioman had expected it to be, in impeccable condition. There wasn't a single speck of dust out of place. Nioman didn't sense Tyrone's presence though, that was a good thing, Dooku must still be with the healers. Nioman turned into the left bedroom and saw Padawan Qui-Gon Jinn sitting on the floor in meditation. When Nioman entered, the boy's eyes flew open.

"Who are you?" he asked, startled, reaching for the table where his lightsaber hilt lay.

"There's no need to be alarmed," said Nioman, splaying his hands, "I'm Nioman Dokoora and I'm here to help your master." That, of course, wasn't strictly true but depending on what the healers knew Tyrone could be helped by Nioman's knowledge. At any rate, he needed to gain the padawan's trust and quickly.

"What did you come here for?" wondered Qui-Gon, "Master Tyrone is with the healers."

"I'm aware of that," said Nioman, "but I can't go wandering about the healing ward looking for him. I need to know the whereabouts of the healer Aelynn. I have information that could help your master."

"Well, alright," said Qui-Gon, frowning, "I can take you there."

Nioman gave a small sigh of relief as he followed the boy out into the hallway. It was a good thing that young Qui-Gon wasn't the suspicious type and it was clear that he would do whatever it took if it meant helping his master. If only more Jedi were like that, the Order could be a better place. However, just as Nioman was thinking that, Qui-Gon spoke up again.

"You're that padawan who insulted the High Council last night, aren't you?" he asked shrewdly.

Nioman hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "Yes, yes I am," he admitted nervously. He hoped that confession hadn't blown his chances of getting Qui-Gon to trust him but the young padawan had already guessed anyways.

"Why do you hate the Council so much?" asked Qui-Gon. Force, this was an inquisitive padawan.

"I don't hate them," Nioman replied slowly, "I just find myself disagreeing with many of their policies."

"Master Tyrone says that they should participate on missions more often rather than sitting here at the Temple all the time, is that what you think?"

"Well, I suppose so," answered Nioman, though that was far from the heart of his dislike of the Council, "and the way they operate, there isn't any way for the average Jedi to have a say in how they run the Order. The Council elects its own members, decides on its own actions and has to other body to balance its power. It is a very dangerous position and can lead to corruption, something I believe is happening now."

"Last night you said that the Council doesn't trust you. Why is that?" asked Qui-Gon, still curious.

"I don't know," said Nioman, shrugging, "I guess they think that I'll abuse my powers. They think I'm unstable," Nioman had no idea why he was admitting all this to a mere padawan who couldn't possibly help him but he felt that he could trust the lad, even if he was Tyrone's padawan, "quite frankly," continued Nioman, "they may have a right to be. I've done some things that I'm not proud of and I'm worried that I'll be expelled by them. It seems that whatever I do I am met with hostility by the Council. I'm in a very stressful situation right now."

Thank the Force, Qui-Gon kept quiet after that and they continued in silence. Nioman felt very self-conscious as he followed Padawan Jinn to the healers' ward but fortunately he didn't run into any members of the Council and received only a few questioning glances from some of the older masters which Nioman ignored. At long last they reached the destination and Qui-Gon led Nioman to a closed off room where a bird-like woman hovered over a bed that must have contained Tyrone Dooku.

As Nioman approached the bird-woman, a Fosh if he remembered correctly, turned to him, "oh great," she complained, "_More_ Jedi! Just what I need at this ungodly hour! Qui Gon? What's this one's story?"

"It isn't _that_ early," grumbled Nioman as Qui-Gon replied to the Fosh.

"Aelynn," said Qui-Gon, "this is Nioman, he says he has information that could help you."

"Yes, I do," confirmed Nioman, "is there somewhere that we can speak alone?"

"I guess," Aelynn sniffed, "follow me."

Once they had gotten out of earshot of Qui-Gon and any healers that were milling about Nioman spoke.

"Look, I may be able to help with Tyrone's condition but I need you to be completely honest with me," he whispered urgently, "what do you know about Tyrone's condition?"

"Well, I know some idiot blasted him with lighting, that's for sure!" screeched Aelynn, much louder than Nioman would have liked.

"Alright, alright, calm down," he said, trying to pacify the crazy Fosh, "So you know what it is. That was me...and before you start cawing again it was an accident, I didn't intend to do it. But how is his condition? He will live, right?"

"Oh, he'll be fine!" She dismissed, "Just a few weeks of fluids and bedrest, and he'll be back to fighting in no time."

"I suppose that's good to hear," said Nioman, "but can you make sure that this whole thing doesn't become public or anything like that. I don't know what Tyrone has told you but it would be bad for both him and me if word of this got out. To anyone. I don't care what you have to do, just don't let the Council know what really happened, can you do that?" Nioman tried to keep any hint of a threat out of his voice but he wasn't sure what he would do if Aelynn didn't cooperate.

"Fine, I will go with whatever story you two have concocted...but I never want to see this type of injury again! If I do...there will be hell to pay from the both of you!" She warned, waving a vibroblade in front of her as if to prove her point.

"Good," said Nioman, eager to leave Aelynn. If she was like this all the time it was no wonder the Council didn't want her around, "I'll leave any details to Tyrone, thank you for your time," he aid, excusing himself and hurrying out of the healers' ward. He didn't want anyone to find him there and by now the masters would be looking for him.

As Nioman was returning to his quarters he saw High Councilor Ramo Batrorio. He tried to hide but it was too late, the master had already spotted him.

"Ah, Nioman," he said in a friendly tone, "do you have a moment. There is something I need to speak to you about."

"Um, sure," said Nioman. Master Batrorio didn't seem to be at all hostile, in fact the friendly way he had greeted Nioman was almost more disconcerting than if he had shouted. Nioman needed to stay alert, he knew the Council would be out to get him now and he needed to be very careful what he said.

"First I'd like to say that I am very sorry for your loss," said Master Batrorio, "Reesa was indeed a very great Jedi," here it comes, though Nioman, now he's going to reprimand me. However, what Master Batrorio said next was not at all expected, "Nioman, I've been chosen by the Council as your new mentor."

"What?" Nioman knew it sounded bad as soon as he said it but he had been caught off guard, though he really ought to have seen something like this coming.

"Yes, the Council decided that as Reesa's former mentor I would be the best pick for your new master. I know it will be a difficult transition for you but the Council believes I will be similar enough to Reesa as to not make it quite so difficult on you."

Nioman wanted to scream that Master Batrorio was nothing like Reesa, he wasn't even half the Jedi she was, but he couldn't say that. He'd already let his emotions govern his speech far too much. There was nothing he could do about this and he'd just have to live with it. As long as Master Batrorio kept his distance everything could be fine.

"Well, unless you're busy I would like for you to come with me to the training area," proposed Master Batrorio, "I need some idea to where you are in your training so I can proceed more efficiently."

"What about the Council?" wondered Nioman, surely he would be taken before them after what he had said last night.

"What about them?" inquired Master Batrorio, "oh, that. You've been cleared."

"Really? After everything I said?" Nioman was really thrilled if there were indeed no consequences but it seemed to good to be true. Unless the Council was afraid, that could be. And now they were trying to appease Nioman.

Master Batrorio shifted his feet and for a moment before saying, "the Council realizes that you were very distraught last night and we wont hold that against you," he paused again before continuing, "of course, I'm sure there are some underlying problems but those can be dealt with in due time. For now, we have more important matters."

So clearly Master Batrorio didn't want to divulge any information. Whatever decision the Council had reached they certainly didn't want Nioman hearing of it. Perhaps whatever was planned would hurt him later but for now he was just fine with it. He had spent the entire night worrying about how he was going to manage to remain in the Order but now it seemed he didn't need to worry. The Council was willing to let everything he did slip by in order to prevent his wrath. Once again it showed how unjust the Council was. Not that Nioman shouldn't have freedom of speech but that they were following a course of appeasement in order to prevent unpleasant repercussions. However, seeing as how much Nioman benefited he couldn't find too much fault with it. Things might actually be looking up for him. If just a little.

* * *

><p>Nioman felt self-conscious throughout the assessment by Master Batrorio. He felt like he was constantly showing off his skills but what else could he do? the Jedi Master wanted an honest summary of Nioman's abilities so Nioman gave it his best efforts. After all, first impressions meant a lot so the more Nioman could impress Master Batrorio with his swordsmanship the better. Though he was also aware throughout that anything Master Batrorio learned here would be given in a report to the Council. Of course, the better Nioman performed the more afraid the Council would become and that had proven to yield good results. Sure, that tactic may be a little underhanded but if the Council was susceptible to it than Nioman had no intention of stopping himself. Maybe this way he could demonstrate how weak the Council really was. If he could only break the adoration that the average Jedi held for the Council then he could start moving.<p>

After three hours of assessing Nioman's skills Master Batrorio called for a halt.

"I must say I'm very impressed with your skills, Nioman," complemented Master Batrorio, even though this was probably true it still reeked of appeasement to Nioman, "I have to attend a Council session now. You should probably move any possessions of yours into my quarters as that's where you'll be living now."

"Alright, master," said Nioman. He would be glad to be out of his old quarters, it brought back too many now painful memories.

It didn't take long to move his stuff to his new home. It wasn't as if Jedi had many belongings. Nioman soon had everything packed into his travel case and floated it in front of him as he relocated to Ramo's quarters. It was a bit of a move from Reesa's old quarters, which was near the the Reconciliation Council Tower on the southeast end of the Temple as she had served a few years on the Council of Reconciliation, to that of Master Batrorio, which sat below the High Council Tower on the other side of the Temple. Nioman wouldn't have minded except that the entire time he kept attracting way glances from Jedi of all ages. Apparently word had gotten around fast and now everyone knew about Nioman's little outburst at the funeral last night.

It was a relief to finally reach Master Batrorio's quarters. Nioman punched in the entry key he had been given and the door slid open. In design the quarters was identical to the one Nioman had just moved out of but it felt more cluttered. There was very little open space compared to what Nioman was used to. There were various tables littered with holobooks and datapads and screens showing various sets of information. For a Jedi Councilor Master Batrorio wasn't very tidy. There were also several bookshelves that now emanated a faint blow glow from the rows of holobooks that lined them. One of the perks of being a High Councilor must have been having your own personal library. After making those observations Nioman entered the room that would become his. Right now the room was completely empty except for the typical furniture though Nioman had doubts that it had been that way very long. Nioman deposited his travel case on the floor and began unpacking the few items that were inside, trying to give his room as much of a lived-in feel as possible. After doing that Nioman went about making himself something to eat. He had gotten up so early and been busy the rest of the day that he hadn't eaten anything yet. By the time that was done Master Batrorio had returned from his meeting with the rest of the Council.

"You weren't gone long," commented Nioman, trying for a natural conversation.

"Well it was just a typical session," replied Master Batrorio, setting down yet another datapad to the collection on the main desk, "nothing much happened. And we have another meeting this evening."

"So how often does the Council generally meet?" asked Nioman, "it seems like you are always in session but of course you all have other duties."

"Well we normally meet two hours in the morning and four or so hours in the late afternoon," explained Master Batrorio, "though we are generally ready to accept any "emergency calls" which typically happen every couple of days. It is a demanding job but well worth it."

Nioman dished out the soup he had made for the two of them. He had no idea what Master Batrorio liked to eat but this was one of the things Reesa would always make and it gave Nioman a feeling of comfort, reminded him of warm evenings with his master. There was also the fact that there weren't very many things Nioman could cook. Reesa had taught him the essentials but not much more and there were very few things Nioman was comfortable making.

"Ah," said Master Batrorio, looking down at his bowl, "I can guess where you learned to make this."

"Oh?" said Nioman, not prepared for what his new master had said.

"Yes, this was a favorite of Reesa's, she used to make it all the time back when she was my apprentice. It feels like so long ago..." he said, his voice trailing off as he stared into the distance, likely remembering his former padawan.

"How long has it been?" asked Nioman, making an effort to get to know his new master a little more. He realized after he said it that it may have been a bit insensitive but it was better than some places that the conversation could go.

"Well, let's see," said Master Batrorio, "I was still a fairly young knight when I took her as my apprentice and I trained her for seven years, an impressively short amount of time for her to reach knighthood but I'm sure you aren't surprised by that. It's been over twenty years since she lived here, well it wasn't here specifically, I was in a different room back then but that's besides the point. I've now trained several more apprentices after her but none have shined like dear Reesa. She was truly my greatest accomplishment as a Jedi. And now, all this time later, here I am completing the training of her own apprentice."

They sat for a moment sipping their soup and contemplating the positive affect Reesa had had on each of their lives. Until now Nioman hadn't really thought about how Reesa's death would impact anyone other than himself but he could see in Master Batrorio's face how much Reesa had meant to him as well. It made Nioman feel less uncomfortable about his own grief as he now realized that he would not be judged too harshly by Master Batrorio, who was going through the same loss. Nioman watched speeders fly by the window, thinking how his old quarters hadn't had one, another perk of being a High Councilor he supposed. At long last Master Batrorio broke the silence

"So, you're in what, your fifth year of training?" he asked.

Nioman nodded.

"Well as far as swordsmanship, you'd be easily ready for knighthood," praised Master Batrorio, "your skills match the greatest I've ever seen. As far as your connection to the Force it is undeniably strong but needs honing. However, you still have certain...emotional issues that need to be overcome. I realize you are still distressed from the loss of your master so I will not go into any of that now, but I sense a great deal of anger and resentment that will need to be faced. The Jedi Trials are an even greater mental challenge than a physical one and you will need to be fully prepared for them."

Nioman couldn't argue with that. He knew he still had demons to overcome, especially the one that Master Batrorio knew nothing of. He would have to come to terms with what had happened between him and Tyrone Dooku in the cavern. However, he needed to be careful what he thought about now, as kind as Master Batrorio was coming off as now he still reported to the Council and, thus, couldn't be trusted.

"Well, I have work to do," said Master Batrorio, standing up, "as I said, being on the Council comes with a great deal of responsibility. But remember, Nioman, I know I am still new to you but feel free to come to me for anything, or if I am not around Tyrone Dooku is an excellent example of what a young Jedi strives to be and you could benefit from talking with him." he suggested before departed for his own room, taking an armful of various data transmitters with him.

Nioman seek advice from Tyrone Dooku, was Master Batrorio out of his mind? Granted, he probably knew nothing about the mutual loathing between the two but still, the way he, the way the entire Council idolized Tyrone was sickening. Suddenly, Nioman's soup didn't look so appetizing. Just thinking about that proposition made him feel nauseous. All of what Master Batrorio had done that had made Nioman question his ill feelings about the Council and its members had been completely ruined by that one, disgusting suggestion. Nioman would like nothing more than to reveal Tyrone as the far-from-perfect man that he really was but doing so would cost far too much for Nioman. He would just have to let the Council remain in ignorance on that subject.

* * *

><p>Nioman's relationship with Master Batrorio generally continued on like that. They slowly would begin to talk more but then Ramo would say something that would make Nioman remember all his disagreements with the Council and how it functioned. Slowly, however, Nioman's opinion of his new master began to form like this; he came to respect Master Batrorio, Ramo, whatever he was to be called now, as a master and as a Jedi but as a leader Nioman could not respect his choices. Of course, he and Ramo many times did not see eye to eye but they soon began managing to get past that. It was far from what Nioman had experienced with Reesa but it was acceptable for both of them.<p>

As far as training went Ramo didn't even try to duel Nioman himself and instead watched and critiqued Nioman's form from a viewers perspective, often recruiting Mace, or, on very awkward occasions, Tyrone to spar with Nioman as he observed. Ramo often spent Council-free evenings practicing Force techniques with Nioman or discussing proper uses of them. A great majority of the training, however, was spent on shaping up Nioman's mind to what Ramo thought it should be. This, naturally, was the source of most of their arguments. Nioman constantly questioned the actions of the Council and Jedi principles in general, several times forcing Ramo to take him to speak with Master Yoda on those matters. Master Yoda was always unbending on his ideas as Nioman was on his so those talks were entirely unproductive. Still, despite all that, Nioman felt he was making progress. He was beginning to feel the anticipation of facing the Trials and reaching Knighthood. He was so close now and nothing would stop him.

**A/N: Okay, I know last chapter I said I was done with all the Tartania effects and that was partially true but now I AM DONE! Next chapter will jump ahead in time and this story can move on!**

**And remember that Aelynn belongs to Talicor and not me, though Ramo Batrorio is my OC.**

**As always don't forget to review and check out everything I tell you to every chapter.**

**And tanks to Candace for getting me to write so much that I finished this chapter in a few days.**

**Thanks so much for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16: Negotiations Turned Sour

**Chapter 16: Negotiations Turned Sour**

**47 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Today marked one year since the mission to Tartania, one year since Reesa's death. Nioman couldn't let it get him too down but he couldn't help thinking about his master. It didn't help that he was currently on the bridge of another Consular Class ship, the last place he had seen Reesa. He and Master Ramo had been assigned to the Republic system of Andemeria, the system was going through all sorts of internal issues and Senator Tav Geladrin had requested Jedi aid in the matter. The Jedi Council had initially been uncomfortable interfering as no Jedi presence had been requested by the planetary government but the Senate had requested their aid in the matter so there was little the Council could do to protest. The ship had just entered the Andemar System and Nioman now sat with Master Ramo and Senator Geladrin to discuss plans.

"As I'm sure you know to some extent," said the senator, "our planetary government is a mess. King Gombare has been able, with ample military intervention, to secure the regions directly surrounding the capital but he doesn't have enough men to keep the various cities from taking virtual independence, all of them fueled by the government of Romia, a breakaway nation that is now separate from the planetary government."

"I was under the impression that the planet had been unified under one crown when Gomabre married Queen Rianna of Selete," said Master Ramo, concerned, "I oversaw that union and it promised peace, bonding the rival nations through marriage. How have they deteriorated into war so quickly?"

"Well of course with Jedi presence and a watchful eye from the Republic all those who opposed the king chose to remain silent but almost directly after you left, forty years ago, they began creeping up again. It was slow at first, King Gombare thought he could control it, but in the last five years things have gotten wildly out of hand. The king is getting old now, you know, and he is not the charismatic young ruler that he used to be. Even Queen Rianna has left him now and returned to her own people. The king does not wish republic aid, though I am not sure why, I cannot imagine his pride would cloud him so much as to leave his throne in such jeopardy because he does not want to ask for aid."

Ramo stroked his beard, "hmm, I sense there is something we are missing in all this. Are you sure Queen Rianna does not yet hold the grudge after...what I took the last time I was there?" he asked, his gaze darting to Nioman. Something seemed suspicious about Master Ramo's demeanor but Nioman couldn't place it. There was no way it could have anything to do with him. They said this all had been over forty years ago, long before Nioman was born.

"Even if she does, I doubt that would hamper King Gombare from requesting assistance. After all, the queen has abandoned him and she is now ruling over her own land of Selete without any contact with her husband."

"Still, we must proceed with caution," advised Master Ramo, "there is something we are missing and a wrong step could not only destroy good relations with the Andemerians but even put our lives at risk."

"That is part of why I asked for Jedi aid," revealed Senator Galidran, "if it comes down to that you Jedi can handle yourselves, whereas Republic diplomats would not."

"Indeed," said Ramo, "Nioman, please retire to your quarters. There is something I must discuss with the senator and it doesn't concern you."

Nioman just barely stopped himself from lashing out at his master. What could there possibly be that Master Ramo didn't want to talk about in front of him? He shouldn't be having things hid from him, especially if it involved the mission. He didn't understand at all. He was far too young to have been a part of all this craziness that was going on with Andemeria. Part of him now wished he had checked to see exactly where he had come from. He had never bothered before, it didn't mean anything to him. He was a Jedi and wherever he had been born wasn't going to have an effect on his life. Now he wished he had looked just to have complete assurance that it had nothing to do with this planet and all the intrigue that plagued it. Nioman took a moment to calm himself before stalking off the bridge. He made no effort to conceal his frustration from his master, it may have been a little childish but he did take lengths not to make scene of any kind, it couldn't hurt to let his master know what he thought about the situation.

Nioman settled down on the small cot in his quarters with a holobook on weaponry. Nioman thought the book was quite fascinating. It covered the designs and technical aspects of all sorts of weapons from common blasters to missile launchers to turbolasers. Most every commonly used weapon in the Republic and major planets was covered here. Nioman had decided to bring the book along on the mission to pass the time during the journey to Andemeria. Andemeria wasn't in the outer rim but it was in a fairly empty region of space and the hyperspace lanes took a very roundabout route to reach it so that lengthened the travel time considerably. The ship would be landing in about an hour but Nioman clearly wasn't wanted on the bridge so he sat down and read a little more.

* * *

><p>Upon landing the ship Master Ramo, Senator Galidran, and Nioman were taken to the palace of King Gombare to discuss the future of Andemeria. Nioman could feel how nervous the senator was. After all, he had brought the Jedi to Andemeria without his sovereign's permission and it could land him in hot water with the king. The audience chamber was a spectacular room. The walls were adorned with purple and yellow banners and continued until they met in a dome perhaps two hundred feet above the crimson-carpeted floor. The back of the chamber ended in a semicircle against which was situated a dais with fifteen seats on it, each one larger than the last until reaching the golden throne in the center. Only four of the seats were filled, as well as the throne, which held an elderly red- and indigo-robed man, perhaps in his seventies, it was hard to tell. His stern face was heavily wrinkled and his hair was white underneath the velvet cap he wore, the Andemerian equivalent of a crown.<p>

"So," sighed the king, "the ever-intruding presence of the Jedi has come again to Andemeria. Senator, why did you decide to bring the Jedi meddlers in to this?" he asked, sounding more tired than annoyed.

"Your majesty," said Senator Galidran, "I know that you have realized how grave a time has come upon us yet our own forces have been insufficient to silence the revolutionaries and malcontents. The Jedi aided us once before, in the early days of your reign and I believe that they can do so again. You, my liege, are the rightful ruler of all Andemeria and can gain only support from the Jedi."

"You believe that two Jedi will succeed where an army has failed?" wondered King Gombare.

"My lord," addressed Master Ramo, "I do not intend to solve this conflict by force of arms but by negotiation. Surely there is a compromise to be reached between you and those who oppose your rule."

"You do not seem to understand what I am dealing with," said the king, rising from his seat and descending the stairs from his throne to stand in front of Master Ramo, "all these people want is independence. Their only quarrel with me is that I seek to govern them. No negotiation can satiate that need, Master Jedi."

"Perhaps there is more to it than you think," reasoned Master Ramo, "perhaps if they had representation they would be happier."

"Representation?" scoffed Gombare, "do you not see those empty seats?" he asked, gesturing behind him at all the unoccupied chairs, "they had a say in the government but that wasn't enough for them. They said that Andemeria should become a democracy like so many other systems are anymore. They said that Andemeria should no longer be ruled over by a king. Despite all the power I gave them they were not satisfied."

"I do not doubt that," said Ramo, "but if we held a council where I could mediate a discussion between you and the revolutionary leaders it may bring the real source behind all this to the open. It has already been made clear that your armies cannot keep the peace so perhaps this may."

"I cannot let them into my capital, surely it would bring about my assassination!" shouted King Gombare, whipping his robe about and stalking back to his throne, "I suggest you leave now, Jedi. There is nothing you can do and if you try to meddle it will not end well for you."

"The Galactic Senate has requested our intervention," stated Master Ramo, "we will remain here and seek out a solution, even without your blessing."

"We will see," said Gombare, "now get out of my sight!"

* * *

><p>Ramo and Nioman were given a massive apartment in the senatorial suite, courtesy of Tav Galidran, and were discussing possible solutions to the troubles of Andemeria when Master Ramo's comm went off.<p>

"It's the Council, I'd better answer," he said, turning on the projector and revealing a blue image of Master Yoda.

"How went your audience with the king?" asked the old master.

"Not well. He doesn't believe we can help and has threatened to send us off the planet if not more should I continue to seek a solution."

"Not good is this," agreed Master Yoda, "but disturbing developments, there have been that will require your attention."

"What happened?" asked Master Ramo.

"A ship carrying Jedi younglings, to Alderaan it was going when intercepted, it was," explained Master Yoda in his odd way of speaking, "their chaperon, killed she was yet not found were any of the children's bodies. Reason to believe, we do, that kidnapped, the younglings were."

"That is terrible but how does it affect me?" wondered Master Ramo.

"Getting to that, I was," said Master Yoda, tapping his gimer stick on a floor that couldn't be seen on the projector,"the warriors that took them, Andemerian they were and last seen heading to this planet, their ship was."

"So these younglings were captured by Andemerians," said Ramo, "then we must do something. If the king is holding them it would explain why he would not wish Jedi presence here."

"Proceed with caution, you must," warned Master Yoda, "many factions there are, that could be behind this. The doing of King Gombare, this may not be. Bring this information to him and judge his reaction, you must, before deciding on a course of action. In grave danger, the children are. Put their lives at any risk, we must not."

"But if the king learns that we know about this and he is holding the initiates then surely they will be killed," said Nioman, making sure the masters realized this.

"Indeed," said Master Ramo, frowning, "if we confront Gombare then he will likely kill them rather than allow us to discover his actions."

"Decide on the best course of action, you must," said Master Yoda, "consult Senator Galidran, you should, before making a decision. Your mission, this is and the choice, yours it must be."

"What if Galidran is a spy?" blurted Nioman.

"Trust the senator, I do," said Master Yoda, "after all, he it was, who requested aid from the Senate and the Jedi. Great help, he can be of, with his knowledge of the planet."

"Yes, it seems we will have to trust him," agreed Master Ramo, "Batrorio out."

Once the comm fizzed off Master Ramo called the senator who said he would be with the Jedi shortly.

"I still don't think we should put this must trust in him," stated Nioman, crossing his arms. He didn't understand why it didn't seem to occur to Ramo or Yoda that Galidran could be playing them. Isn't that what politicians did best? Even as repeated his doubts to his master Nioman knew it wouldn't get him anywhere. Still, at least he had let Ramo know without question where he stood on the matter. Even if his master did nothing Nioman was going to keep a close eye on Senator Galidran. Divining emotions had never been a strength of Nioman's but he would still try.

Ramo sighed, "I know you distrust politicians in general but they aren't all bad. Believe me, I've been watching Galidran closely and I believe he is genuine. If he is indeed deceiving us and we live past it then I can say that you were right but do not do anything that would reveal your suspicion to the senator. That is the last thing we need right now," he said, giving Nioman a knowing look.

"Who, me?" said Nioman, jokingly, "when have I ever said anything offensive?" he was making light of what had actually been a serious issue, one that had never been properly resolved, but he needed to lighten the mood a little.

"Well, let's see..." teased Master Ramo, "all jokes aside though, don't say anything unless you really have a suggestion. Just do that and this can go smoothly." he said as the door opened and Senator Galidran strode in, "you arrived quickly," observed Master Ramo.

"I was only a few doors away and your message sounded urgent," replied the senator, "what has happened?"

As Master Ramo explained the predicament Senator Galidran paced across the polished wooden floor. The longer Ramo spoke the deeper the senator's frown grew. Nioman kept his eyes focused on Galidran, looking for any signs of nervousness or discomfort. He found nothing, the middle-aged senator seemed only to be concerned, but not worried.

"The initial assumption would of course be that King Gombare is behind the kidnapping," concluded Master Ramo," but Master Yoda believes that someone else is behind this. Do you know of anyone who would do such a thing?"

"Well the one with the most obvious motive would be Queen Rianna," said Galidran immediately, "after the...erm...incident she was quite wrathful at the Jedi, anger which was perhaps justified if I might add, it is easy she could desire revenge. In fact, I'm surprised you hadn't already come to that conclusion."

"It crossed my mind," said Master Ramo, "I didn't experience her majesty's anger firsthand as I had left the planet by then but I've heard. What I don't understand is why she would wait all this time."

"Perhaps her wrath has been festering all these years and finally hit the breaking point," suggested Senator Galidran, "something may have set her off recently and could have provoked her-"

"Oh, Force," interrupted Master Ramo, "why didn't I think of this before. She would have gotten the condolence message...that has to be it!"

"What has to be it?" demanded Nioman, then, remembering to keep his calm added, "I know there is something you are hiding. Why can't I know, master?"

Master Ramo shifted on his feet and gave an exasperated sigh before saying, "just trust me. I need you focused right now and this...information could throw you off balance."

Trust him? Like Nioman was going to do that. He wanted to shout at his master but now wasn't a good time. Over the past year Nioman had been working to control his temper and forced his anger out before speaking. When he did it was in a far more reasonable tone than what it would have been had he responded immediately, "it's clearly critical information to the mission," stated Nioman, "my lack of knowledge on the subject may end up being a liability, by which time it would most likely be too late."

"He has a point," said Senator Galidran, "perhaps-"

"No," decided Master Ramo, "Senator, you do not understand the full measure of this. I am willing to take the risk that I am. This argument is closed."

"Fine, then," said Nioman, though inside his was seething with justified ire, "so how are we going to handle this? If the queen has taken the younglings then we need to do something."

"You must tread carefully," warned the senator, "in all likelihood the king knows nothing of this but he will not allow you to travel to Selete and face the queen. And before you say he can't stop you I will warn you that he will use force if necessary."

"Well we have to do something," argued Nioman, "can't we sneak out?"

"The king will notice your absence," said Galidran, shaking his head, "he will make sure that you either remain here or leave the planet. Anything else and he will know about it and take action."

"What if only Nioman goes?" pondered Ramo, "I could stay here and continue negotiations with the king while Nioman sneaks out of the city and makes for Queen Rianna's home in Selete."

"It is possible..." the senator said thoughtfully, "you would have to be extremely careful, Nioman. Any sign that you are escaping will get your master killed...but if you pull it off it is less likely anyone will notice your absence."

"Indeed," agreed Master Ramo, "it seems to be the best option we have. Nioman, do you think you are up to the task. It will be a very difficult, let alone dangerous assignment. You will need all your cunning to prevail."

"I am confident, master," Nioman said. He was sure that on a solo mission like this he would do fine, though he made sure not to appear overconfident to the point of arrogance, something that his considerable powers could often lead to. The fact was, he had no doubt he could do it. He knew that the Jedi would perceive thoughts like that as arrogance but his own skills had never failed him before. With the ability to decide his own actions and not worrying about working with anyone or protecting anyone he could thrive. And, with his solo mission, it led to a greater chance to discover the truth behind this grudge that Master Ramo refused to talk about.

"Then it's settled," said Master Ramo after casting a short, though searching, glance at Nioman, "tomorrow morning, senator, you and I will appear before the king once more and try to sway him into accepting a conference with the rebel leaders, that, after all, is still our mission. While we are speaking with the king, Nioman, you will sneak out of the city and go to Selete. You can decide the details though I suggest using public transportation as you will be less easily spotted that way. Once there, you must learn the whereabouts of the kidnapped initiates. Try to stay as silent as possible until you need to take action, the longer we have before the king realizes what has happened the better. Are we all clear?"

Both Nioman and Senator Galidran gave their assent and the senator departed to his quarters. After he left Nioman addressed his master.

"Well, we'd better hope Galidran really is with us," he said, "or else we are in serious trouble."

"You're right but I didn't sense any hint of betrayal, did you?"

"No," admitted Nioman, "he either is on our side or he is very good at hiding his true intentions. We'll just have to see which one it was."

"Indeed," agreed Master Ramo, "now you should get some sleep. Regardless what happens I can confidently say that tomorrow will be an exhausting day. For both of us," he added, "I sense much will be revealed tomorrow, we must be ready for anything."

Nioman entered his luxurious room in the vast senatorial suite and stepped out onto the expansive balcony. He watched as the last hues of red and purple faded from the sky...a sunset the likes of which were never seen on Coruscant. He studied it as it faded to a pleasant indigo and thought about his coming mission. This would be his first real solo assignment. He, of course, had been given tasks before on his own but he was always under the supervision of a master...even the dreaded mission to Tartania had been in the company of others. Now he would have to rely completely on his own abilities, on his own instincts. He hadn't realized just how much he had craved a mission like this until now. Of course, he supposed most all padawans eagerly awaited their first solo mission. Truthfully, Nioman had been more worried about reaching knighthood than his own assignment. However, now that he was faced with it, he relished the opportunity. He would show the Council how capable he was. He would show them...show Ramo how a great a Jedi he was. This was just a step, though a large one, in his goal of being appreciated by the Jedi. It was all just part of his ultimate goal.


	17. Chapter 17: Discoveries

**Chapter 17: Discoveries**

**47 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman was sitting on one of the crowded benches of the express speeder to Selete. He was dressed as a typical Andemerian civilian, in a dull orange shirt and yellow pants. His Jedi robes and supplies were hidden in a suitcase while his lightsaber was tucked inside his sleeve. It had taken a little persuasion to convince the guard to let him on the transport despite the warnings of the metal detector, after all these years would it have been so hard to make lightsabers resistant to that sort of thing? In the end, though, he had managed to get on board with little trouble and without drawing attention to himself. He listened to a group of middle-aged men talk about how high transportation prices had risen and how it was a good thing they had left the city before the out-of-city transport was shut down completely.

By the time the transport finally screeched into the boarding station in Selte's capital, Ayreera, Nioman was very glad to be out of it. His limbs were all itching to move and the anticipation of the coming mission was killing him, the narrow compartment that he and several dozen other travelers were cramped into had begun to smell. After entering the city Nioman rented a speeder, not wanting to waste time making his way to the queen's palace, where his investigation would start. It soon became evident, however, that it would be faster to travel by foot. The city was designed with the ground level reserved only for foot-traffic while speeder lanes were designated ten feet above that. The problem was, the streets weren't very wide and the speeder lanes were easily crowded so Nioman decided he could traverse more quickly by foot so he dropped the speeder off at the most honest looking warehouse he could find and left instructions for its return to the man he had rented it from. It couldn't hurt to have some honesty, it didn't harm his chances of success, after all.

The blue-tinted streets sloped continually upwards as he neared the residence of Queen Rianna, which towered hundreds of feet into the sky, easily visible from any part of the city. Nioman noted how great a bombing target it would be, a structure so isolated from anything else and that's fall would cause massive amounts of damage in the surrounding city. Yet, despite that weakness, it would be nigh impossible to assault from land; the entire city slanted upwards to meet it and the narrow streets and tall buildings would make an ideal defensive position and a nightmare to try capturing. No doubt, that had been the original purpose of building a city on such an inconvenient location. At the time it was founded, defense must have been more important than ideal building terrain.

After a couple hours of jogging through the city Nioman finally reached the wall of Rianna's palace. Looking at the soaring structure now, as well as what he had noticed earlier, Nioman thought it was no wonder King Gombare had made peace with Selete through marriage and why he did not try to take it back now; such an attack would most certainly be doomed. Of course, that now provided a bit of a problem for Nioman now. He had already decide that sneaking in would be a better course than risking whatever procedure was necessary to enter the palace, assuming it was even open to the public which Nioman doubted. Now he needed a way to scale the hundred foot wall that denied his access to his destination. He had a grappling line stored in the backpack where he had thrown his supplies after leaving the transport, he wasn't unprepared this time like he had been on Tartania. Still, he doubted the line would be long enough to reach the wall's parapets and even if it was, he wasn't sure, even with the aid of the Force, that he'd be able to throw it that far.

Nioman scanned the seemingly endless expanse of stone brick that blocked his path. There had to be a way inside, all fortresses could be breached. Especially by a solo infiltrator, and a Jedi at that. This shouldn't be a problem for him. The biggest problem wasn't even the wall itself, but the armored men that patrolled it. Nioman hadn't even noticed them on his first inspection but now he could occasionally catch the sun glinting off their armor. Seriously, who wore steel armor anymore? The way the wall was constructed there was a passageway, maybe halfway up, where a large slit was open for guards to look, and fire, out of. This meant there were two sets of sentinels to evade, let alone anyone who could be peering out of all the little windows that dotted the stony surface. Force, this place was protected. He needed to get some way up though, the watchmen had to have noticed him and might become suspicious if he stood there observing the wall for any length of time.

He sauntered away from the wall, giving a friendly wave in the direction of the guards, making it look as if he had just been taking in the grandeur of the palace. After retreating out of their sight, at least he hoped he was, he crept forward again, this time moving in the shadows cast by the castle towers, where he would be less visible. Once he was pressed against the cool surface of the wall he reached into his pack and pulled out his rope. There was no way he would be able to cast it from directly under the target, no, he'd have to levitate it with the Force. It wasn't going to be easy, raising it at a directly vertical angle, still, it was his best option and he'd have to go with it. He concentrated, reaching into the Force, tapping into its energy. It was a slow job, making the grappling hook ascend directly above him like that, he had to crane his neck at all sorts of uncomfortable angles to keep the rope in sight. At one point he lost sight of it and it fell several feet before he could renew his mental grasp on it. Finally he reached the end of the rope; problem was, it wasn't long enough to scale the wall. Looks like Nioman still hadn't been as prepared as he needed to be. Well, at least he could climb up to where the rope ended, he could figure out a way to clear the rest of the distance after that. He began prodding around with one of the hooks at the end of the rope, trying to find a spot to secure it. This was a brick wall, after all, there had to be a spot to anchor a grappling hook. Finally, after what he was sure had been a great deal of scratching that, while he could not hear it, didn't mean it couldn't be hears, he found something and lodged the rope there. Then he began to climb.

The ascent wasn't easy. One would think as a Jedi scaling a wall using a rope wouldn't be so hard but it was. The worst part was trying to avoid getting seen. There were erratically placed windows everywhere and Nioman couldn't be certain if there was anyone inside them. He could generally sense life forms behind them but as distracted as he was with climbing he didn't want to put all his trusts into those senses. Of course, if one of the sentinels happened to look down and spot him all was doomed, so he just had to hope that didn't happen. He reached the point where the grappling hook was secured just below the first ledge of the wall. Looking up, Nioman saw that the number of windows kept increasing the higher he got, it would be impossible to weave the rope past all of those, he would just have to climb himself from here on up. Fortunately, whoever had built the wall had gotten lazy higher up and there were plenty of grooves to be used as hand- and foot-holds. Still, it would be a treacherous ascent. Nioman was now climbing up the face of one of the towers; it extended forward enough the he couldn't be seen by the guards on the lower wall...whatever they called it. Then he reached a difficulty; there was a window that extended the full width of the tower and, sure enough, he could hear voices behind it. This left him with a very risky move, he'd have to leap over to the main section of wall, which was about four feet away and at a bad angle. There was a ledge that was large enough for a landing point but he'd have to aim his jump just right or he would collide with the wall and fall to the soldiers on the ledge below...not something he wanted. He jumped; his left hand securely landed on the outcrop of rock but his right one slipped as he swung it over to grasp the ledge. His fingers scraped painfully against the rough surface and his arm fell to his side. Then something much worse happened, his lightsaber slipped out of his sleeve where he thought it had been secured. In his precarious position he was unable to catch it and it fell. That wasn't the worst of it, though; as the weapon fell it connected with the sandstone parapet and bounced inwards, straight into where the sentinels sat and gazed drearily out at the city.

Nioman was sure in a spot now. The watchmen would surely realize there was an intruder and be firing up at him, assuming that they had blasters which, from the lack of technology displayed thus far, didn't seem likely. Regardless, Nioman was in a terrible position; there was no way he would be able to do any fighting from where he was. No, the only option was to leap down and dispatch them, take his weapon, and get out of there. He leaped down, using the Force to guide his fall and landing on the shoulders of a stunned guard, simultaneously kicking the sword out of his hand. Wait, a sword, was this gut for real? Nioman couldn't understand how a Republic system like Andemeria could have so little technology, in fact, the capital had shown no such thing, not that any of that mattered right now. What mattered was getting out of this without drawing any attention to himself and he wasn't about to get distracted in a fight like this. Before he could dispatch the man he had landed on the man's partner aimed his blaster at Nioman, forcing him to leap backwards. Unfortunately that led him away from his lightsaber, which is what he really needed right now. The odds were terrible; here he was, without a weapon and in a poor position against two royal guards, one of whom actually carried a proper weapon. The man with the sword picked up his weapon and charged Nioman. So now he would have to grapple with this man while also evading the blaster bolts from the other. No, this was not looking good at all.

Nioman was bracing himself for impact when the noise of a blaster firing came from behind him. He was thinking what a terrible death it would be for a Jedi like him to be shot in the back when he saw the green beams hit the two guards, killing them both. Nioman reached into the Force and summoned his lightsaber, igniting the yellow blade as soon as the weapon landed in his hand and whipping around to face the newcomer. She wasn't what he had expected. She was perhaps in her late thirties, with dark hair tied back and wearing a servant's frock over what looked like athletic clothes. Her face seemed familiar but at the moment Nioman was too frazzled to place it.

"Hey, hey now," she said, raising her hands, "no need to point that weapon at me, especially as from what I can see I just saved you."

"Yeah, okay," said Nioman, lowering his lightsaber but not letting his eyes off of this odd woman, "so who are you and why did you just do that?"

"I'm Reyna," she said, "you could say I'm part of a resistance group against the dear queen. And as you seemed to be in some trouble with the guards I figured I'd help out a bit. With all that's been going on I'd assume a Jedi would be on a same side as me, right? With the kidnappings and all"

"What? Oh yeah, that," said Nioman, taking a moment to realize what she meant. His brain was having a hard time processing everything that had just happened, "so you know about that then?"

"Sure I do," said Reyna, "anyone who keeps their eyes open around this place knows about that."

"Okay, so how did you know I was up here," asked Nioman, trying to figure out what this woman was about.

"Oh, I don't know. I just...hand a feeling," she said, shrugging, "it happens occasionally, my friends say I'm a bit addled but as it tends to be useful they don't mind it."

Now Nioman was really intrigued. He wondered if it was possible if this woman, Reyna, had some connection to the Force. Most parents of Force-sensitive children in the Republic gave those children to the Jedi for training but there were some that did not. Perhaps Reyna's parents had done that. Nioman was about to ask her about it when she spoke again.

"So you are a Jedi, Right?" she said, "which means you're trying to get back those Jedi kids that old Queen Rianna took, correct?"

Nioman was tempted to lie but he doubted Reyna would buy it. She already had guessed his motives and seemed to be against the queen so Nioman decided to trust her. Even if she was deceiving him Nioman highly doubted she could take him now that he had his lightsaber back, though he would keep an eye on her, just in case.

"Yeah I am," he answered honestly, "do you know where the captive younglings are being kept."

"Youngling," she corrected, "sorry to say but there's only one left, the queen had the others killed."

Nioman felt sick at this. Queen Rianna had murdered children. And with no discernible reason. This, this was too much. Nioman was going to personally insure that she paid for these crimes.

"I just can't believe it," he said, stunned from Reyna's revelation, "but why spare one? It doesn't make any sense."

"She has her reasons," Reyna said cryptically, "now come, we need to get moving, I can take you to where the kid is being held."

"Yeah, alright," said Nioman. He didn't like this strange woman's evasive attitude but he followed her down a ladder and through the courtyard of the palace. Finding and rescuing this one initiate was more important than getting answers; that could wait while the child's life could be in danger even now.

"Don't look so edgy," she admonished Nioman as they strolled through the courtyard, "if you don't look suspicious they won't notice you at all, and don't just hold your weapon like that, can't you hide it or something?"

"Fine, fine," sighed Nioman, hooking his lightsaber to his belt and placing his pack in front of it. That way he could easily reach it if need be but it wouldn't be visible, "Happy now?"

"I suppose so but you still look more like a spy than a tourist, lighten up a bit."

Nioman was getting irritated at this woman. After all, he was the Jedi here, he knew what he was doing. He would be happy to be rid of her and get on with his own assignment. The last thing he wanted was someone constantly complaining about the way he was doing things. This was his mission and he was handling it just fine.

As they entered the main building of the palace they were approached by a servant, an elderly woman with grey hair handing around her face and cleaning supplies at her side. Nioman wasn't sure what to do but Reyna didn't seem bothered.

"Oh Reyna," the older woman said in a hushed voice once she had reached them, "please don't say it was you who killed those guards up on the wall."

"Yes, Alina, it was but I had good reason," she explained, "you see, I found this Jedi up there, they were attacking him and all. What would you expect me to do?"

"A Jedi you say," the older lady, Alina, gasped, "he's here for the girl then?"

"Yes, he is," Reyna confirmed, "has she been moved since this morning."

"No, she's still down in that dingy room in the basement," said Alina, shaking her head in disgust, "for a surrogate princess she isn't given a very nice room. Have you seen that place?"

"Yes, yes, Alina," said Reyna, casting a nervous glance at Nioman. Force, it seemed everyone was hiding something from him, "no come along...what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't," said Nioman, still annoyed at Reyna's secrecy, "I'm Padawan Nioman Dokoora."

"Alright then, Nioman, we'd better be going. See ya around, Alina," she said as she led Nioman down a flight of stairs.

Nioman reached out with his mind and soon he could sense the presence of the Jedi youngling. The girl exuded confusion and distress, clearly she had no idea what was going on. Nioman tried sending waves of comfort and calm toward her but it was difficult given his own irritation and worry. He was concerned that he and Reyna wouldn't get there in time. Something felt off about this whole thing. He knew he was missing something, Ramo had been hiding something from him and now Reyna. He didn't understand it and it was becoming very frustrating.

They were about to round a corner when Reyna pushed him back.

"Guards," she warned, "and they don't seem to be moving."

"How many are there?" asked Nioman, reaching for his lightsaber.

"Well how am I supposed to know? You're the Jedi here after all. I don't have the power to sense people's minds or whatever it is you Jedi do."

"Then how did you know they were there if you didn't see them?" whispered Nioman.

Reyna's face grew tense for a moment, then she reached a hand up and pointed at her ear, "I heard 'em," she said though Nioman was hardly convinced. This woman was definitely hiding something. Nioman resolved to figure out what was up with her as soon as he had gotten the youngling to safety.

"Well..." said Nioman, listening intently at the lazy conversation of the soldiers, "I'd say maybe half a dozen. I should be able to take them. You make sure none of them get away, can you do that?"

"Sure," she said, "I've got your back," that comment only made Nioman more uncomfortable. But Reyna had not given any solid reason not to trust her and Nioman's instincts told him to go with it so he didn't object. It was his suggestion after all, it would make him look strange indeed if he changed his mind like that.

He clicked the ignition switch on his lightsaber and dashed forward, straight into the stunned guards. Two had been cut down before they could react and another had fallen from a well-placed shot to the neck. The remaining three soldiers reached for their weapons but Nioman managed to incapacitate another before he could draw his sword, really what was it with these swords? One of the remaining men tried to run, calling for help as his comrade shielded him from Nioman. Nioman exchanged a few blows with the man before swinging his lightsaber down to cut into his side but that small delay had cost him and the last guard had just reached an alarm console. His finger was about to press it when his head was struck by a green beam and he fell dead to the floor. Nioman had to admit, Reyna was a good shot.

"Come on," she said, dashing past him, "the Jedi kid is just down this hall."

Nioman followed Reyna down the corridor to a lone door. There were two soldiers in front of it who crossed their electro-staffs when they saw Nioman and Reyna approach but Nioman wasted no time with them. He threw his saber, guiding it with the Force and it one swipe sent both their heads rolling. Nioman thought about how Tyrone Dooku would have tried to reason with them but not only did Nioman no have time for that but he knew it wouldn't work and would cost them precious time. He retrieved his lightsaber and blasted the door open with a Force-push.

The room was well adorned, for a prisoner, though not overly furnished. There was a somewhat threadbare carpet covering the floor and wooden furniture that had a few scrapes. It looked as if the Queen couldn't make up her mind with this room. The he saw the girl; she was a Mirialan, maybe seven or eight years old, and her attire was that of royalty. A fine dress with a great deal of golden jewelry. While the room seemed to be a low-budget affair, the girl was not. Stranger still was her demeanor. From what Nioman had sensed earlier, and from what he would expect from someone her age and going through what she was he would have expected her to be cowering or something. Instead, she smiled and stood up as he approached her.

"I'm Nioman," he said, "I'm here to rescue you."

"I saw you coming," the girl said, "in the Force. I knew you would save me. I'm Initiate Luminara Unduli," she added, almost as an afterthought."

"Great, now you're introduced," said Reyna, tapping her foot impatiently, "but we do need to go so if you could get a move on I'd appreciate it."

"Yeah, okay," said Nioman, taking a moment to glower at Reyna before turning to Luminara, "come with me, we need to go now," he said, taking her hand and slinging her over his shoulders, it would be faster that way.

Nioman, now carrying Luminara, and Reyna quickly made their way through the corridors, anxious to be out of the castle. It would be only minutes now before the dead guards were discovered and Queen Rianna was notified that her prisoner was gone. Nioman hoped he could be out of there by then, he didn't want any more violent encounters, especially now that the youngling was with him. There was something odd about Luminara, something about her drew Nioman in. He almost felt some sort of connection, though he had just met the girl. It was very strange indeed and something to focus on after the more immediate problems were taken care of.

"I hope you know a way out," he said to Reyna as they jogged along.

"Well you don't think I'd aimlessly lead you through this place. No, I know what I'm doing. There is a passage that leads out to the city, old enough that the guards don't even know it's there. I'm the only person that uses it. It comes in handy when I need to carry information between here and the rebels."

"Rebels?" inquired Nioman.

"Yeah, the people who actually do something to oppose the lunatic queen's rule," explained Reyna.

"I see," said Nioman, "so are you taking me to them?"

"I could, if you wanted," offered Reyna, "they could provide you with a place to stay and transport out of this city."

"Okay, you can take me there," accepted Nioman. It would feel good to be somewhere at least somewhat safe. After all the trouble Nioman had been through today it would be great to relax a little while.

After a great deal of sneaking about and evading guards they reached the passage Reyna had told Nioman about. She pushed aside some crates and barrels that blocked the narrow entrance from view and stepped inside, followed by Nioman and Luminara. Reyna was about to light a torch on the wall when Nioman ignited his lightsaber, a much more reliable source a light, as he telekinetically pushed the barrels back into place in front of the entrance.

"It would have been useful to have you around all those other times I've used this route," observed Reyna.

"I'm sure it would have been," said Nioman, "but now you need to explain some things. Like how you knew I was up on the wall earlier and how you knew about those guards earlier and, most importantly, what is going on with this kidnapping business? Am I clear?"

Reyna glanced about uncomfortably in the yellow light cast by Nioman's blade before giving a resigned sigh, "fine," she said, "I'll tell you. First thing you should know, I'm Reyna Doliq, second daughter of Queen Rianna."

**A/N: Hey everyone, I forgot to include any A/N in my last chapter but yeah, I'm finally onto a new mission and all. Tartania is behind us, hallelujah!**

**Anyways, you can expect rapid updates in the next week as I set a massive goal for myself and then next weekend I will be on vacation but there is a three hour drive which I can spend writing to there will be lots more JE coming soon.**

**Thanks for reading and make sure to review, I'd love to know what you think of this chapter!**

**Also, big notice, tomorrow (assuming I remember) I am going to be changing my username to Caleb's Fanfiction Creations juts to let everyone know in order to prevent confusion.**


	18. Chapter 18: Startling Revealations

**Chapter 18: Startling Revelations**

**47 years before Revenge of the Sith**

Nioman stared at Reyna in shock, his mind slowly processing the full meaning of what she had said. One sentence, just a handful of words had him reeling. For the first moment the only thing he realized was the obvious statement that Reyna was the queen's daughter, which, though hard to believe, didn't affect him personally. Then he noticed her last name; Doliq, the last name of his late master, Reesa. Upon making that connection he realized why her face looked familiar, she looked a great deal like Reesa. Looking at her now, Nioman couldn't believe he hadn't noticed before but in her strange outfit and odd mannerisms that were so different from his old master's he hadn't been able to place the similarity, nor had the time to give it serious thought. Then other pieces started falling into place. Reesa must have been Reyna's sister, meaning she was the daughter of Queen Rianna. The queen obviously had some sort of issue with the Jedi and the fact that her daughter had been one had to have a connection with that. Then Nioman remembered what Master Ramo had said about a grudge, before asking Nioman to leave so as not to reveal the information to him, chances are Reesa becoming a Jedi had to have something to do with that and just maybe Reyna knew what this was all about and could straighten things up for him.

"What got you?" Reyna asked, raising an eyebrow, "I mean, yeah, I'm a princess and all but you look as if I just said I was your mom or something, what I told you isn't that big a deal, right?"

"Nioman," said Luminara, sliding off his back, "your master was named Reesa Doliq, wasn't she? So does that mean...?" she trailed off, apparently unsure of how to pose her question. Nioman had no idea how she would know something like that. Yes, Reesa's death had been a big deal at the time among the Jedi Order and Nioman had probably made himself famous with the funeral speech he gave but Luminara was just a kid, there was no way she would remember a detail like that.

"Yes, she was," said Nioman, squatting down to get at Luminara's level, "but how in the Force did you know that?"

"I'm not sure," she said, uncomfortably, "I remember seeing you last year and then the Temple instructors were talking about it. I guess it was just something that stuck in my head, you made quite an impression on the masters," she added with a nervous smile, like she wasn't sure how Nioman would take this.

"Oh, I see," said Nioman, standing back up to face Reyna, "so then my former master, Reesa, she was your sister then?" he asked, though it was more of a statement awaiting confirmation.

"Yeah, so she was your master then?" said Reyna, noticing what Nioman had said, "well that's quite a coincidence that you ended up here."

"Maybe not," said Nioman, pondering it, "my new master, Ramo Batrorio, came here forty years ago and facilitated the wedding between King Gombare and Queen Rianna. If they had Reesa before he left he would have taken her to the Temple."

"Smart boy," she said, nodding, "I suppose now I have to tell the whole gruesome tale. You see, Batraro or whatever his name was stayed here for a year or so after the peace was made. During that time the queen had a baby, Reesa. Well, Gombare, the sly devil, once he realized Reesa was eligible to be a Jedi he silently took her and gave her off to the Jedi, who sped away with her to Coruscant. Well Naturally, Rianna was furious but Gombare got off the hook by saying the Jedi stole Reesa. Well the queen, she contacted Coruscant and demanded her child back but the Senate said it was a fair transaction and Reesa was never returned to Andemeria. Since then, old Rianna has been festering all sorts of hatred towards the Jedi but has been unable to get back at them lest their wrath fall upon her head. Well, a few years after all that I was born but Rianna was all worried the Jedi would steal me too so she proclaimed I hadn't survived the birth, even telling Gomabre that I'd died. To this day he doesn't know the truth.

"So anyways, fast-forward a couple decades and Rianna gets a little condolence message about Reesa's death in combat, by this time I had long fled from her clutches, but the point is that brought all her anger back to the front and this time she began plotting. Well not much came of it for a couple months but then two things happened. First, you Jedi arrive back here on Andemeria after forty years of absence and second, just after that, her ladyship hears of a Jedi ship carrying their younglings from Coruscant to Alderaan, taking 'em right past her. I suppose Rianna's thinking at this point is that the Jedi took her child so she's gonna take some of their's so she goes and arranges an ambush and you know what happened."

"But why kill the others and spare only Luminara?" asked Nioman

"Well from what I know the others she had no sue for besides to land a blow on the Jedi while this one she took on as a surrogate for Reesa or, heck, maybe even for me. My guess is that she was planning to raise Luminara here as future queen or something crazy like that."

Nioman glanced over at Luminara, wondering how much of this she was catching. He tried to think about how this ordeal must have been for her. To be captured by strangers, watch as her chaperon and then her friends are killed and then be held away in some castle far from anything familiar and at such a young age. Yet she seemed to be keeping composure; yes, she was shaken, that much was clear, but she handled it far better than Nioman would have expected, better than he thought he would have he he been in her place at her age. This Queen Rianna really was just a sick person. Yes, he understood what had caused her anger but that didn't condone all of what she had done. For the second time he vowed to himself to make sure justice feel upon the queen's head.

"So you ran away from the queen's custody?" he asked Reyna, trying to keep the conversation away from what Luminara had faced. Nioman knew he wasn't very good at comforting people, nor did he handle children very well so part of him was dreading having to help Luminara through her trauma and was trying to avoid any of that for as long as possible. If the initiate broke down and started crying Nioman had no idea how he would handle it.

"Yeah, when I was fourteen," Reyna said, "I was tired of being cooped up in the palace, tired of all the secrecy I had to deal with, tired of my mother's overbearing attitude. She wasn't an easy person to live with and combined with all she put me through, what with being hidden from basically everyone, by fourteen I'd had enough of it. Some of the servants sympathized with me and I even convinced the gate guard to let me out. Then I heard the next day from Alina, who you met earlier, that the man had been executed. Well that dashed any chances of me going back to my mother. For the next ten, fifteen years or so I laid low, working odd jobs and basically keeping myself afloat while avoiding being caught by the queen. Ten years ago I reentered the palace and made some connections there but keeping out of sight from my mother and helping anyone who opposed her in any way I could. Well in the last couple of months things have really picked up and I've become much more involved with the rebels. In fact, we should be there soon, just a little longer."

As she said that Nioman noticed the passage slowly getting lighter. Once they were nearly out and they could see the exit he disengaged his lightsaber and hooked it back onto his belt; best not to make a bad impression on these rebels he was being taken to. He was uncomfortable going into the base, shelter, whatever it was that Reyna was taking him to and to be taken in by a bunch of potentially hostile people that he did not know whatsoever. By this point he had almost full confidence that Reyna was not deceiving him but that didn't mean these rebels she was leading him to were friendly. Reyna wasn't exactly...normal, or at least she wasn't a type of person that Nioman encountered often, so it was always possible she had the wrong impression of these people. But there wasn't any backing out of it now, though Nioman had his lightsaber at the ready just in case.

The rebel encampment was situated in and around what looked like the ruins of an old warehouse, probably burned down some years ago. There were bricks and anything else that had been salvaged lined across the streets to provide a defense against the royal army. It was a good location for a headquarters, crowded amongst buildings yet in a run-down part of the city. Even if it was located by Rianna's men, which was sure to happen eventually, it would still be difficult to assault.

The rebels themselves milled about the place, chatting, drinking, and cleaning weapons. The group seemed to consist mostly of young men, some hardly older than Nioman. It's what he had expected, most revolutionaries were of that demographic, at least, the ones who actually fought were. It seemed an odd group for a middle aged woman like Reyna to hook up with but Nioman was sure she had her reasons, she didn't seem like one to make a spur-of-the-moment decision to do something like that; she would have far more emotional control than that. The rebels appeared to be friendly and easy-going but Nioman still was going to watch them around Luminara, one could never be too careful in a place like this.

"So...how'd you end up affiliated with this crowd?" he asked Reyna.

"The leader, Enoran, helped me out of a tough spot a couple years ago," she explained, "we had common goals and stayed in contact. After he got a major movement started he invited me to come and join and I obliged. I don't keep a permanent residence here but I often hang around the palace and can filter any useful information in here. I like the atmosphere here, the guys are nice once you get to know them and we all get along great now."

"And Luminara?" Nioman muttered, hoping that Reyna would understand what he meant and that Luminara wouldn't hear him though he doubted the last one; she was far too astute a girl to be oblivious to the conversation.

"Oh, you mean..." said Reyna, smirking a little, "don't worry, I'll make sure they don't bother her, though I doubt you'd have any of that around here though there was that one time when Herrin's girlfriend came..."

Nioman cleared his throat, glancing at Luminara.

"Oh right, sorry," apologized Reyna, "I'll introduce you to Enoran, I'm sure he'll be stoked to meet a Jedi," she added with a smile.

Reyna led Nioman and Luminara over to a little pavilion in the most intact corner of the warehouse ruins and over to a man who Nioman presumed was the leader Enoran. He had on a red coat and had an old-fashioned blaster rifle slung onto his back. When he heard their approaching footsteps he turned from his conversation with a few other men and strode over to meet them. He was young, maybe twenty-five with short-cropped blond hair and stubble. Despite his youth he had an aura of control and the other men clearly respected and deferred to him.

"Reyna!" he greeted, "it's good to see you made it back fine. And you brought guests?" he added quizzically.

"Yes, I have," she affirmed, "this is Jedi Apprentice Nioman Dokoora, he came to rescue Luminara here."

"It's good to see you succeeded in your task," Enoran said, addressing Nioman, "we were distressed at hearing this newest crime of the queen."

"My master and I had already come here on diplomatic purposes but when we heard about the kidnapping I was sent to deal with it," explained Nioman, "Reyna led me here as a safe haven from the guards but as soon as I contact my master we can be leaving." He assured but noticed a resigned accepted from Enoran, the idea of a Jedi with them would have been huge for him, it was understandable that he would be disappointed but Nioman didn't want to impose his presence on the rebels and he needed to get Luminara back to Coruscant as soon as possible.

"Don't feel like you have to rush out of here though," said Enoran, "you may stay as long as you like."

"Thank you for the offer but we will need to be going," replied Nioman. He hated the courtesy that times like these demanded and he was itching to call Ramo and give his report and this rebel leader was detaining him. He couldn't afford to get irritated though, he needed to exert control of himself or Ramo would never let him become a Knight.

"I understand," said Enoran, "but I would greatly appreciate if you made mention of our plight to the Jedi. As it stands we have far too few people to make any real progress."

"Yeah I can do that but I really do need to go now," Nioman said, effectively excusing himself, "come, Luminara, soon you'll be back with at the Temple."

Nioman strode over to the most isolated place he could find, a slightly crumbled brick wall with a little overhang, with Luminara trailing silently behind him. Nioman was still impressed with her fortitude, even now she didn't show the slightest trepidation. In fact, she barely displayed any emotion at all though, for now, at least, that was just fine with Nioman; it allowed him to concentrate without having to babysit her as well. There were some adult Jedi Nioman could think of who might benefit from Luminara's example.

Nioman flicked open his comlinks and punched in the frequency for his master. He had to hope that Ramo was not busy, otherwise Nioman would have to forgo awaiting instructions and find a way out of Selete himself; he didn't intend to stay in this city longer than he absolutely had to. He waited for several agonizing seconds before his master's voice came through.

"_Nioman, were you successful. I'd assume you are out of the palace if you are contacting me but do you have the children?_"

"I have one, the only survivor. Master, the queen, she killed all the rest. I didn't arrive in time to do anything."

_"There must be...wait, are we on a secure channel?"_

"I think so," answered Nioman, "but I wouldn't count on it. And I'm not exactly alone."

"_What do you mean?_" questioned Ramo.

"While I was in the palace I met this woman...but hold that, you have some explaining to do."

"_What about?_" asked Master Ramo, probably making sure he didn't reveal anything in case Nioman hadn't discovered Reesa's heritage. That only made Nioman angry, was his master ever planning on revealing this information to him?

"Oh, I'll tell you what, I met Reesa's _sister_. Why in the Force would you not tell me Gombare and Rianna were Reesa's parents? Especially when it has now had such an impact on this mission."

"_Nioman,"_ sighed Ramo over the comm, "_I didn't want to upset you. I knew mentioning Reesa would bring unpleasant memories to the surface and I needed you focused. And, honestly, I didn't think it would have any effect on the mission. Now, before you start going off on me I'm not going to talk about it now. I can explain once we're back on Coruscant but for now I need you focused. I know you're mad, I know, but you need to keep your concentration. Don't let your anger get in the way. Now, what did you mean you aren't alone? I assume you mean other than the child."_

Nioman glowered at the comlink, taking deep breaths and forcing himself to calm down before speaking, lest he begin shouting at Master Ramo.

"I met Reesa's sister Reyna in the palace and she led me to the initiate, Luminara. We didn't exactly escape unnoticed so she took me to a rebel group, where I am now. Now I just need a way out of here and back to you, or Coruscant, depending on how you want to proceed," that last bit was hard to get out but Ramo had constantly drilled such behavior into Nioman and he knew right now his Master would be pleased by it, even if Nioman was irked to say it.

"_Well first things first I'll need you to return to the capital here, there is no way we could get someone in to pick you up in such hostile territory. After that, yes, I'll need to you escort Luminara back to Coruscant. You certainly gained field experience here, even if it wasn't the kind I was intending."_

"Won't Gombare get aggravated if we send a transport into his city for Luminara and me?"

"_Yes, yes you're right," _Ramo acknowledged with a sigh, _"no, I'll have to find some other location. There is an uninhabited desert to the east, I'll arrange for you to be picked up there. If you can just..."_ the comm crackled, muffling Ramo's voice and a warning came up on the screen.

"Master? Master!" exclaimed Nioman but the signal was lost. Now he had no idea where the transport would arrive, well he had a general idea but he had seen that desert on his way into the city and it was huge, nor did her know what instructions Ramo had been about to give. What could have interrupted the signal? Then a blast ripped through the brick wall Nioman had been leaning against and he was barely able to pull himself and Luminara out of the path of the tumbling shrapnel.

"Everyone to your posts!" shouted Enoran, "We're under attack!"

**A/N: It feels like so long since I updated but here it is, I hope you all enjoy and that you do like this mission so far. Remember to review and if you haven't done so check out my profile and forum for more information and stories.**

**Also, sometime shortly I will be releasing a new project that I am really excited about so stay tuned for that (or check out its thread on the forum ;-)**

**Till next time, Caleb's Fanfiction Creations**


	19. Chapter 19: New Adjustments

**Chapter 19: New Adjustments**

**47 years before the Fall of the Republic**

"Luminara, get to safety!" shouted Nioman as blaster fire ripped across the rebel headquarters which, minutes before, had been so relaxed and peaceful; now men were rushing about, scrambling to retrieve weapons and man the defensive walls. Nioman had grabbed his lightsaber off his belt and was rushing to the barricade to join them when he was intercepted by Reyna.

"You shouldn't reveal your Jedi identity here in case any of the soldiers escape" she hollered over the sounds of battle, "If Rianna knows you're here it will only make matters worse for Enoran."

"But I can't-" Nioman began to say before being interrupted by Reyna.

"Here," she said, tossing him a helmet and leather jerkin, followed by a blaster pistol and vibroblade. Nioman threw the helmet and jerkin on over the dirty civilian clothes he had worn to the palace, then he looked down at the weapons and recognized them as Reyna's.

"Don't worry," she called, noticing his dismay, "I came prepared," she said, raising an identical pistol in her left hand, "now go!"

Nioman darted over to the line of defenses and leaped onto the barricade. For now the rebels were holding their own but they were limited in number while men in silver armor and wielding pikes and blasters continued to pour through the narrow streets. Unless the royalists ran out of men Nioman would need to do something drastic to turn the tide of the battle, he just hoped the other sections of defense could manage without him, he couldn't be everywhere at once.

Nioman wished he could just throw himself into the tide of enemies. The vibrobalde he was using was incapable of full-on deflection of blaster bolts which meant Nioman was forced to use normal means to avoid the lethal projectiles. It would be so much easier if he could lunge in and begin hand-to-hand combat, where his shorter weapon could thrive but it wouldn't be a good idea to abandon his cover. There were too many soldiers, even for him to fight. Nioman was confident in, and even proud of his swordsmanship but he was not that arrogant. He knew he had limits and he had spent the last year especially making himself familiar with what those limits were.

The battle continued raging on with neither side gaining an advantage. Nioman began to wonder if the soldiers would retreat due to the fact that they were losing men yet so far had accomplished nearly nothing. Nioman thought that would be a sensible decision, they could withdraw just beyond the range of the men on the barricade yet still cause trouble with limited resulting casualties. Nioman didn't know how the rebels supplied themselves but he was sure a blockade around their base would be a serious problem but still the soldiers carried on. Whoever commanded them sure was persistent.

Then Nioman saw what the soldiers had been holding out for. A massive piece of artillery lumbered into the armored ranks, taking up most of the street. Each side had three long-turreted guns which began to pelt the barricade with a constant barrage of laser fire. It wasn't enough to pierce the wooden and metal platforms of the structure but it could rain fire on the defenders, forcing them to seek cover, preventing them from firing on the bulk of the royal army. That wasn't the worst of it though; positioned on top of the hulking tank sat a massive gun, one of the largest Nioman had ever seen on a surface vehicle. One blast from that would tear a hole straight through the barricade. Suddenly the rebel defense didn't seem so strong.

Nioman needed to do something, and fast. One shot was all it would take to level the rebel defense and Nioman wasn't going to let that happen. There wasn't time for him to cover that distance and disable the tank somehow. There was no way he could deflect the missile once it had been fired. He needed to disable it before it fired which meant he needed to do it from where he was. How in the Force-? No, he didn't have time to think, he could already see the weapon prepping, he was out of time.

He threw his vibroblade.

He watched it spin towards its destination, guided by telekinetic nudges from Nioman. It buried itself in the turret, blocking most of the entrance. It wasn't enough to actually disable the weapon but it wouldn't be able to fire safely until the blade was dislodged. It only gave him seconds but that was all he needed. Problem was, he didn't have a weapon anymore. Sure, he had Reyna's pistol but it wouldn't be much good in a melee. He didn't have time to contemplate though, if he didn't take the opportunity that move would be wasted. So Nioman leaped off the barricade and into the swarm of soldiers.

Rather than dwelling on what a stupid thing he was doing, Nioman taped into the flow of the Force coursing through him, letting it guide his actions. He closed his eyes as he descended on the shocked soldiers, using the Force as his sight, heeding its subtle nudges and reacting accordingly. The small part of Nioman's mind that was thinking independently was screaming at him and telling him to open his eyes. Despite what Jedi always said, Nioman had never put so much faith into the Force as he was now. He had always seen it as a tool more than anything else but now, now what he was doing felt right. Even as the logical part of his mind berated him, Nioman felt the crunch as his elbow, strengthened with Force-aided momentum, landed on the body of an opponent. He heard the faint crackle of a vibroblade falling to the ground even as the man cried out and Nioman lunged for it, his mind pinpointing on its location even though his eyes were shut.

As he gave himself over to his guided instincts, Nioman thought about how good it would feel if Ramo could see him now. All those lessons of "feel, don't think" were finally paying off. He was, for the first time, truly giving himself over to the Force. It was such a strange, otherworldly feeling, allowing something else to guide his mind, to move his body. Somehow, even the short time Nioman had spent on Andemeria, it had changed him. He didn't know how or why but he just knew he would emerge from this mission a changed Jedi, a changed man. For the first time he was putting trust in something else, taking control out of his own hands. While it made him feel incredibly insecure, it also felt good, liberating, to have something to lean on. For once, finally, being able to rely on something and not have to do everything himself.

When he opened his eyes, Nioman had no idea how much time had passed, or even what he had done but the tank lay in pieces before him and all he could see of the soldiers was retreating silhouettes in the distance. There were several corpses scattered around him but not as many as he had expected to see. That was good, the last thing he wanted was to have gone into a murderous frenzy. Most likely, he had aimed for the tank and once that once gone the soldiers had become demoralized and chose to retreat, now that their greatest advantage was gone. Coming out of that trance or whatever had come over him, Nioman felt empowered but also a little disturbed. He wasn't used to giving himself over like that and he wasn't so sure he entirely liked the feeling.

"Bloody hell, Nioman," said Reyna as she vaulted over the remains of the barricade and picked her way towards him, "I knew you were tough when I first saw you but never did I think I'd see something like this. Especially out of someone your age."

"I can honestly say the same," admitted Nioman, "Even now I'm not so sure what came over me."

"Whatever it was, keep it up and we're set for the next attack."

"Indeed," said Enoran as he approached them, "after seeing that I have no doubt in my mind that I can trust you. The Liberators of Selete would be honored to have your aid."

"Given my current circumstances, I will gladly accept your offer," said Nioman. Already, he felt a bond with these men and so long as he was stuck inside the city he believed helping them however he could was the right thing to do.

"That is good to hear," said Enoran, "now, we need to discuss our plans for the future. Now that the Queen knows of our position, it is not safe to remain here. Reyna, Nioman, if you will."

The three of them crossed over the rubble- and corpse-strewn battleground to Enoran's somewhat battered tent. They sat down around the table with several other rebels who Nioman assumed to be Enoran's lieutenants to discuss strategy.

"Despite our victory now, it is obvious to me that this location is no longer safe," Reyna began, "it's probably best that we are out of here before tonight as it will likely not take long before the Queen's dogs are at our heels again."

"That's right," continued Enoran, "we must leave. I know that after what we just faced that the men deserve rest but it would be foolish to linger."

"And there will be plenty of time to recover after the move," finished Reyna, "I'm sure the men will understand. It's for their own safety, after all."

"What about the wounded?" asked one of the men gathered around the table, "there are many of them and they will be difficult to move."

"We'll just have to make do," said Enoran, "we can't afford to stay here."

"I can help move them," offered Nioman, "I'm no healer but I can still offer my assistance in getting them to wherever we are relocating to."

"On that note, does anyone have any suggestions as to where we could move?" asked Enoran, "Reyna? You know the city well."

"A few places come to mind but the problem is transporting everyone discreetly, especially the wounded," Reyna observed, "I think our best bet is to go underground for a few days. It won't be pleasant and probably isn't the best condition for healing but that way we won't be moving through the city. Once the wounded are in a less extreme state we can decide on a new location."

"Won't the soldiers guess that's where we'll go?" said another of the men.

"Of course they will," said Reyna, "but the underground system in this city is huge, the chances of them finding us are minimal, far smaller than if we stayed above ground."

"Yes, I agree," said Enoran, "it isn't gonna be nice but it must be done and we'll only be there for a few days."

"It's settled, then." stated Reyna, standing up.

"I'll inform the men," said Enoran as he departed.

As the others went about making preparations for relocation, Nioman went to go find Luminara and found her sitting cross-legged near where he had left her. He hoped she hadn't been too affected by the battle. While so far she had shown an amazing amount of fortitude, Nioman wouldn't be at all surprised if the battle had frightened her. Jedi lived such sheltered lives as children and such a sudden and dangerous introduction to the real world must have been a massive shock to the girl's system.

"How are you doing?" he asked, kneeling in front of Luminara. He felt so awkward handing a child the way he now had to but she was his responsibility and he felt obligated to be there for the child as much as he could.

"I sensed you in the Force," she stated, "you were like a beacon, letting it flow through you like that."

Once again, Nioman was surprised by Luminara's intuition. At such a young age she already seemed to have such a profound connection to the Force, it amazed Nioman.

"I did what I had to do," Nioman said, "but how are you, were you hurt at all?"

"No, I remained here like you said and no harm came to me," she said, smiling up at him.

"That's good. And remember, if you need anything come to me. I can only imagine how tough this must be on you."

"At first I was scared," Luminara admitted, "but then I remembered that the Force is my ally, just like Master Difusal and all the others said and once I called on it, I felt safe. And now you're here, protecting me."

"If only I had such faith," muttered Nioman, more to himself than to her, "anyways," he said, getting back up and offering Luminara a hand, "we're leaving now, this place isn't safe anymore. We'll have to be underground for a few days, but only a few, then Reyna and Enoran will find another place to stay."

"They're good people, Reyna and Enoran," noted Luminara, "I watched them during the battle and they know what they're doing. You can trust them."

"I know," Nioman said as they stood up and began making ready to leave. "Now, I need to help out with the moving process. Do what you like but keep me in sight and when it comes time to leave I'll come get you."

"Okay," she said before scampering off and leaving Nioman to help with the moving process.

* * *

><p>Nioman spent a great deal of the following days trying to figure out how to complete his mission now that he had no sure way out of the city. Complicating the matter further was the fact that the Queen's soldiers were on active lookout for any rebels and, despite the fact that they were unaware of Nioman's Jedi identity, his physical description had still probably went around after what happened during the battle. He also had Luminara to consider now. He wasn't going to risk her in any way in his escape from the city.<p>

As the days went by, Nioman found himself more and more reluctant to leave the rebels. He had started feeling a part of their little community, in a way he hadn't even with the Jedi. It was just so easy there, no expectations, no social demands. The longer Nioman spent on Andmeria the less he missed his Jedi life. It was strange, really; the Jedi were such a huge part of him, and still were, yet he didn't long to return to that life. In fact, if he didn't have Luminara to consider as well as himself...no, he would never abandon the Jedi. He was still a Jedi, first and foremost, and nothing would change that.

He looked down at Luminara, who was sleeping with her head on his lap. He felt protective of her, more so than just as her escort. It was so odd, having this sort of care for a child. Nioman could admit that he never cared much for children but Luminara was different, so mature and so attuned to the Force. Sometimes it seemed her connection was even stronger than Nioman's. He often wondered how such a thing could be, for someone so young to be how she was. It always baffled him. Perhaps it was just his constant interaction with Luminara, but Nioman felt that they were somehow tied together. This planet had brought out so much in Nioman that he hadn't known existed; he felt much closer to the Force and much older now than when he had begun this assignment, not many days ago. He thought back to Tartania, could that really have only been a years since that ordeal? He had changed so much since then, he'd had to. And the change was for the better.

"Still up?" asked a voice from several feet across the room and Nioman saw Reyna approach him in the faint light that flickered from the dying lamps.

"Yeah, I am," Nioman replied, "just been thinking."

"Shoulda known," she said as she plopped down beside him, "the deepest thoughts often come at night."

"Indeed they do," Nioman agreed, "I've just been contemplating how I've changed since coming here. It seems like so much more than only a couple weeks. It almost feels like home now."

"I know what you mean," Reyna said, "I remember when I first met Enoran it was like I had finally found a place for myself. I had spent years wandering this damned city with no real purpose in life. Enoran gave me that."

"You two are close," Nioman noted, trying not to make it seem like he was prodding despite his curiosity.

"We've known each other for a long time," Reyna said with a shrug, "and as you're obviously dying to know, no we aren't romantically attached. I mean, okay, there's been a few moments but we're in a close partnership, it doesn't go farther than that."

"I see," said Nioman with a smirk, "you're enigmatic past is revealed little be little each day."

"Oh please," she snorted, "I spilled most everything within hours of meeting you."

"I'm still learning more about you every day."

"Well, as you only just met me that's to be expected. It's nice to see you finally loosening up though."

"I feel comfortable here," Nioman explained, "I can be myself more than I'm used to. The Jedi are so rigid in their expectations but here it doesn't matter so much, people don't judge me. Don't get me wrong, the Jedi mean everything to me, it's just that...well every institution has its flaws."

"You're spot on there," Reyna said, clapping Nioman on the shoulder, "Now I'd better go before I wake the kid up. And you'd better get some sleep too. Remember, you volunteered for recon tomorrow, bright and early."

"Yeah, you're right, I forgot about that. Well I'll be seeing you bright and early like you said."

"Oh, I'm not going to be up then, you're not going to get that to happen."

"Who are you kidding? You're always up before anyone else," Nioman observed.

"True, true, but maybe I'll choose tomorrow to catch up on sleep," Reyna said as she stood up, "I really am going now, see ya tomorrow."

"Yeah," said Nioman as he shifted himself into a sleeping position, slowing moving Luminara off of his legs. Quiet now once again filled the factory cellar where the rebels had relocated. The building itself was still in use but this floor had been abandoned and mostly sealed off from the factory complex. There were, however, ways out if one knew where to look. How Reyna had discovered this place was beyond Nioman but he was glad she did. It was an excellent hideout as it was impossible to make out from the outside. The only possible way they could be found out is if someone from the factory discovered them which Nioman thought was unlikely. Thoughts of Reyna, Enoran, and the rest of the rebels returned to Nioman's mind and persisted there until sleep took him.

**A/N: So, another chapter up. I know it's been a month but I've been busy and the muse wasn't cooperating. Please review. If you've read this far you must have some thoughts.**


	20. Chapter 20: Possibilities

**Chapter 20: Possibilities**

**47 years before the Fall of the Republic**

Nioman crouched with Enoran on the roof of an apartment building overlooking the city. Ayreera stretched out all around them, a web of streets and buildings, all sloping up to the looming palace. Throughout the hours they had spent in the city, Nioman had noticed that Enoran had seemed detached, as if he was pondering something. Several times, Nioman had caught the rebel leader staring out towards the palace and his face would scrunch up in contemplation, occasionally his hands would go up, making invisible lines across unseen battlefields, as if devising a plan. This was Nioman's first recon assignment with the rebel leader and now he wondered if this behavior was normal or if Enoran had something on his mind. As Nioman noticed Enoran, once again, looking out at the sun-swept stone of the palace he decided to say something about it.

"What's going on?" asked Nioman.

"Huh?" said Enoran, shaken out of his thoughts and shifting his body to face Nioman.

"You seem distant," observed Nioman, "you're constantly making what appear to be battle calculations or something. Maybe this is normal when you're out here but I know you aren't like this any other time, at least not to this extent."

"Being out in the city, seeing the people move freely about, it makes me think back to when I had that life. I just can't stop considering that if we could take the palace, we could live normal lives again, I could live a normal life."

"Then why don't we make an offensive move?" asked Nioman, "I know we're heavily outnumbered but strategy can overcome any numerical disadvantage."

"I wish I could," revealed Enoran, "but the risks...I don't think the others would sanction such a bold move."

"The others? You mean Reyna?"

"Primarily, yes," sighed Enoran, "I can't see her agreeing with such a proposal and because if we did succeed..."

"Why? What would happen then?"

"I shouldn't talk about it, that would be going against her trust."

Nioman didn't want to push Enoran anymore but nevertheless, his mind raced, trying to determine what was being hidden from him.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, the answers beginning to hit him, "Reyna's the Queen's daughter. If I'm right then overthrowing the Queen would mean Reyna would..." Nioman trailed off, watching Enoran's reaction closely, working to determine whether he was correct in his line of thought.

"That's...part of it," Enoran said slowly, pausing before each word, "while the Seletian throne is solely won by family inheritance, blood still does factor in heavily. If Reyna were to reveal herself as a rival candidate to her mother...well, we could use that."

"But she refused," guessed Nioman. From what he had seen of Reyna, there was no way she would want to rule, especially not publicly.

"She doesn't want that burden," revealed Enoran, "and there lies our greatest problem. If we move in a take out Queen Rianna without providing a suitable replacement we will be seen as anarchists which will gain us far less support then if we come in with a rival to the throne. As it stands now, we may be able to take the palace but we wouldn't be able to sway the city into accepting whatever proposition we would have. My original hope was to try and bring King Gombare into this by revealing his wife's deception of him by hiding Reyna but, after hearing your account, the King doesn't seem willing or able to aid us. That is my predicament."

Nioman stared off into the horizon, hoping for solution to come to him but nothing did. Enoran was right, public support was key here and it was one thing the rebels did not really have. In fact, from what Nioman knew, most people in Ayreera weren't even aware that there was any organized rebellion. If only they could see it, then maybe just maybe...

"I think it's time this movement goes public," announced Nioman.

* * *

><p>"You realize the Queen's army will pounce on us as soon as we go out in the open, right?" said Reyna, her hands clamped against the war room table. Nioman was a little surprised at the intensity of her reaction. First thing after returning to the rebel base, Nioman and Enoran had went to Reyna with their plan but it was quickly become evident that she didn't approve.<p>

"That isn't going to change with time," argued Enoran, "if we sit here without making any action we'll lose what numbers we have. People join rebellions to make a change, not to sit idly in some cellar waiting for a chance that may never come."

"So you'd rather lead them to their deaths instead?" protested Reyna, "a covert operation into the palace I could accept but walking out into a streets and basically asking for the Royal Army to swoop down on us and annihilate us then and there. That I cannot condone."

"Not necessarily," reasoned Nioman, "if I were the Queen I'd be wary to commence battle out in the open city. I say we move directly into the town square. If we occupy it quick enough we'll catch the army off guard and force them to fight us in the middle of the city, which I'm sure the Queen will be loath to do."

"So you'll join us in this, then?" asked Reyna.

"Of course I will," agreed Nioman, "Queen Rianna committed an offense against the Jedi, that makes it my duty to bring justice to her. Even besides that, you're my friends now, I wouldn't abandon you at the eleventh hour like that."

"Good, good," said Enoran, "now, Reyna, you have a choice to make. We will take this action regardless but it would surely help our cause if we had someone to rally behind."

Reyna's shoulders tensed and her eyes closed, "Enoran, you know I can't..."

"I believe in you," encouraged Nioman, "and you're not alone. You have Enoran and you have the confidence of the men. And once I get in contact with my Master I'll make sure he gets you Republic support and recognition."

"What if the people don't believe my claim?" protested Reyna, "I don't exactly have proof."

"What about this?" said Enoran with a grin, reaching into his coat pocket and procuring a golden band laced with violet and handed it to Reyna.

"My mother's coronation ring," she said in disbelief, "I had no idea you still had it."

"I know you said you never wanted to see it again but I thought it might come in handy one day," said Enoran, watching Reyna admire the jewelry for a moment before taking her hand and slipping it on her finger, "now it looks like it has."

Nioman looked on as the two stared at the ring until Enoran's eyes met Reyna's with a silent entreaty. Nioman didn't need the Force to see just how close the two of them were. This object clearly held significance to them both and it's arrival into the scene looked ready to soften Reyna's resolve. Enoran had really pulled a masterful move there and it looked to be working.

"I-I'll do it," said Reyna after a long silence.

"Thank you," murmured Enoran, "I know how big this is for you."

"Now," said Reyna, clearing her throat and glancing around, "we need to figure out just how we're going to go about doing this."

* * *

><p>The moment had finally come. After four days of preparation all was in readiness for the public revealing of the Liberators of Selete. The mood was tense and excited as everyone milled about, gathering weapons and ammunition and waiting for Enoran to give the Order to depart. Luminara sat at Nioman's feet, adjusting the blast-absorbent overcoat he had made her wear just in case something went wrong while he changed into his Jedi robes. He hadn't worn them in weeks, not since the battle with the Queen's Army, but he had made the decision to reveal his Jedi identity for the coming battle. The only thing that really worried him now was Luminara's safety. While she wasn't intended to be at all near the fighting there were many ways things could go wrong which is why Nioman had ensured the girl had some protection. He still didn't like her going out there but there wasn't really an alternative, she couldn't stay here, all alone, and she had insisted that wherever Nioman went is where she would be safest.<p>

As Nioman clipped his lightsaber to his belt he heard a voice behind him. "I thought you were going to keep the fact that you're a Jedi hidden," said Reyna.

"It doesn't need to be a secret now," said Nioman, "and I think it's time the people knew that you have a Jedi on your side."

"Everyone to the main exit now!" bellowed Enoran, "we're out of here in five."

"That's my cue to go," said Reyna, "I've gotta lead this crazy procession. See you on the battlefield!" she called as she turned from him, her new purple cape flowing out behind her.

"Luminara, you know what to do," Nioman said, "stick with me on the way there but as soon as fighting starts get to cover."

She nodded and followed wordlessly behind Nioman as he jogged to where the men were gathering, waiting for Enoran.

"The time has come!" announced Enoran, leaping onto a crate so as to be in full visibility, "Today we take things into our own hands. Today we will see the people rise up with us against the totalitarian regime of Queen Rianna. Finally, we will be able to live free and without the constant fear of discovery by the agents of Rianna's rule. That life is gone. Today we bring about a new future!"

Cheers erupted all around Nioman and he couldn't help but be affected by the euphoria surrounding him. Enoran had made the right call; this is exactly what was needed to bring everyone together and unite them to the cause. With such excitement, such hope, such power, how could they be halted? Nioman could picture them bounding into the center of the city, the people behind them. He could even now see them swarm the castle, casting aside all resistance. He envisioned himself striding towards the Queen, victorious. She wouldn't get way with the trauma she had caused Luminara, she wouldn't escape the consequences for her crimes.

* * *

><p>Nioman and Luminara sat, hunched, in the corner of a salon that bordered the town square. He consulted his datapad, on which the blips which revealed the locations of his allies as they converged on the square. It had taken the better part of the morning to position everyone but it was necessary to achieve the maximum affect.<p>

"Are we ready?" he asked Enoran over the comm. The two of them had divided the task of organizing the men while Reyna laid in wait with a small bodyguard to make her entrance.

"_Just a moment_," replied Enoran, "_there are still a few stragglers, just give it a couple minutes._"

So Nioman waited, throwing his lighstaber hilt from hand to hand and tapping his foot lightly against the dusty pavement. Luminara watched him silently, occasionally glancing at the datapad he had handed her. Finally, after what felt like much longer than a few minutes, the comm beeped again and Enoran's voice came over the receptor.

"_Everyone's in position. Signal your group to move out on my count. Three."_

Nioman took his datapad back from Luminara and pressed a button, signaling standby to the men under his command.

"_Two._"

"Luminara," instructed Nioman and he stood and brushed himself off, "stay here and don't move unless absolutely necessary."

"What if someone sees me here?"

"_One."_

Nioman tossed her a pouch of Andemerian coins, "enjoy yourself," he said, nodding to the salon.

"_Go, go, go!_"

In an instant, Nioman relayed the order to his own men and willed his weapon into his hand and igniting the yellow blade, positioning it at his side in a charging motion as he and a dozen others from nearby positions surged out into the crowd. It wasn't exactly a secret that the rebels had planned a move there but luckily Queen Rianna wasn't one to believe rumors off the street, or so Reyna had assured them, so the guard around the town square, while stronger than usual, was not really prepared for such an event and were unable to mount a sufficient defense against the rebels that now encircled them. Soon enough, Nioman and Enoran met in the center of the plaza, under a statue that, ironically, was of King Gombare and Queen Rianna, and soon had occupied the area.

"So now we see what comes of this," panted Enoran, his eyes not leaving the barrel of his rifle.

"Indeed," replied Nioman, "time to see if our gamble was worth it."

"Commanders!" shouted Garred, one of Enoran's lieutenants, as he leaped up to join them below the monument, "Reyna is ready for her arrival."

"Give it a couple moments yet," instructed Nioman as he swung his lightsaber in front of Enoran to deflect a stray blaster bolt, even as the sniper was dispatched by his target.

"No, call her in now," countered Enoran, "the people need to see her before they all scurry away. We can provide enough covering fire for her," and to Nioman he added, "and she won't want to miss out on the battle, enemy fire or no."

"This will be quite a sight, I'm sure," said Nioman, keeping his lightsaber held defensively across Enoran's body. He hadn't been involved with Reyna's own battle preparations but from what Luminara had told him, Enoran had spared no expense on the display. The entrance of Princess Reyna would be grand indeed.

"Block the Avenue Principa and the Royal Promenade," ordered Enoran, pointing out the streets he wanted cut off to the men below him as they hurried to follow his directions.

"Make sure that we can easily re-open the road to the palace once we need it though," advised Nioman, "best not to let our own fortifications hinder us."

"Indeed," said Enoran with a smirk, "and look, here she comes now."

Nioman spared a glance towards the Avenue Mercanta, where Reyna was to make her arrival and he was not let down by what he saw. Pulling the carriage were two robotic horses, all draped in purple. At each front corner of the wagon sat a golden flag printed with the seal Reyna had created the previous day to use as her royal symbol; two eagles flanking a sword which held a crown at its tip and surrounded by runes that Nioman knew read 'Reyna, verum et reginae de Selete'. Reyna herself stood, arms spread, at the foremost point of the carriage, he head encased in a golden helmet and a purple cape billowing from her shoulders. Had the situation allowed, Nioman would have spent longer taking in the majesty of a woman who had never given such an aura in the past. As he reluctantly turned away from the spectacle that approached him, Nioman knew that Enoran had made the right choice; Reyna really was fit for this role.

"I wish I had been able to afford a deflector shield, she's so exposed to enemy fire now," muttered Enoran.

"She'll be fine," said Nioman, "she's fully capable of handling herself, even without all the extra protection she has now."

"You're right," said Enoran before addressing the assembled rebels, "all units, form up around the Queen!" he commanded, the doubt now gone from his features as his whole face lit up at the, Nioman assumed it was pride or something similar, of seeing Reyna embracing her new role as future Queen of Selete.

"Go and join her," encouraged Nioman, "I'll keep things organized from here."

"That's hardly necessary," said Enoran, "and you need someone to take out the enemy gunners. Lightsabers aren't so useful for long range now, are they?"

"I'll be fine," said Nioman, waving off Enoran's concern, "do it for morale, the men want to see their leader beside their queen. Besides," he added with a smirk, "you two will make a dashing couple up there."

"None of that," grumbled Enoran but he didn't argue and hopped off the statue pedestal to join Reyna. The two of them, together, would make excellent rulers for Selete, that much Nioman was confident of.

Nioman watched as Enoran and Reyna exchanged a few words before the rebel commander hoisted himself onto her shining chariot. The majority of the rebels formed up around the queen and her general and advanced up the Royal Promenade, where the army of Queen Rianna had gathered to fight them. On the outskirts of what had now become a battle arena, Nioman noticed groups of civilians huddled, too curious to leave but smart enough to stay out of the danger. Good, the more attention Reyna got the better.

Slowly but surely the guardsmen became depleted and their ranks began to thin, before breaking entirely under the force of the rebellion, the Liberators of Selete. As the soldier retreated, however, an armored repulsorlift propelled down the avenue toward Reyna's battalion. Despite its threatening appearance, the vehicle bore red and white striped banner, the colors of a diplomat.

"Don't fire," Nioman heard Enoran command over the wind that engulfed the now-silent square, "it bears peaceful colors, but keep your weapons ready, it may be a ruse."

"Yes, yes, we come in peace," called a shaky voice from inside the speeder, "we bear a message from her highness, Queen Rianna."

"Then let us hear what her majesty has to say," answered Reyna from her own vehicle.

After a moment's silence, a beam of golden light burst from the speeder, soon taking shape into the head and shoulders of an elderly woman, dressed in a high-neck outfit and adorned with the Seletian crown. After scanning her surroundings, the twenty-foot high image of the queen addressed the crowd, or specifically one member of it.

"Reyna? What the devil are you doing here? My contacts warned me that your meddlesome self might be involved but I couldn't bring myself to believe you would actually drop to such depths...associating with such brigands. Explain yourself."

"Don't speak about my friends in such a manner," warned Reyna, "I have every right to challenge your haughty grasp on the throne. Because of your unwillingness to grow, you have thrown the nation into a state of depression. Your refusal to accept outside contact is throwing Selete into ruin. Meanwhile, Gombare allows such trade with the Republic and his kingdom thrives on the wealth that has flowed into it."

"Do not speak to me of that man!" shrilled Rianna, "he has been tainted by outside influence and brought shame upon his once noble land."

"Gombare may not be a great ruler but he appears absolutely splendid in comparison to you!" shouted Reyna, jabbing an accusing finger at the image of her mother, "you sit there in luxury while remaining in isolation, with no contact to your people. You rule silently, as if from far away, maintaining no contact with them, save to extort their hard earned money, with which you do nothing to benefit the nation, instead hoarding it all in your treasury to spend appeasing your own desires! Once, maybe, you were known as a fit leader but no longer! You have let your grief overpower you and turn you into the monster you are know."

"How dare you!" shrieked Rianna, "you have no right to say such things! No idea of what I have gone through! Your father betrayed me, you betrayed me! You know nothing of me!"

"If you are really in such a poor state of being then step down from the throne and wallow in your self-inflicted despair without affecting the lives of anyone else."

"And let an insolent child such as yourself take my place, I think not! I give you one last chance, submit now and your justified punishment for your actions shall be forgotten. This is your last chance, Reyna. Use it wisely."

"I will not give into your demands, snake!" retorted Reyna, "You are despicable and downright evil! I know what you did to those Jedi children, I know what fear and pain you caused to this innocent girl!" she shouted and, to Nioman's surprise, hoisted Luminara onto her shoulders in full sight of Queen Rianna. "All for your revenge! Father may have wronged you but there was no right to act in the manner you did. Any respect I may have held for you was lost with that action. You, mother, can rot in Hell!"

"Fine, then," spat Rianna, her face taught and her eyes watery, "you have brought this upon yourself, you have chosen death."

"We'll see about that," snarled Reyna as the image of her mother flickered and disappeared, replaced by an eerie silence broken only by the swirling of the wind through the plaza and by...a strange humming sound. That hadn't been there before, Nioman was sure of it, yet even as he contemplated it, the rumbling grew louder and soon the source became visible; a half-dozen fully armored Republic gunships appeared over the rooftops and began descending into the square.

Then they fired, but not on the soldiers.

The blast targeted Reyna.

**A/N: Chapter 20!**

**I hope you all have been liking Andemeria so far...it's on its way out if you're not and for those who are, the climax is on its way.**

**Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading , and please review.**


	21. Chapter 21: Tragic Misunderstanding

**Chapter 21: Tragic Misunderstanding**

**47 years before the Fall of the Republic**

"Luminara!" shouted Nioman as the golden carriage collapsed and was engulfed in a haze of smoke and fire. As a second gunship descended for its attack, Nioman reached out his arms and clenched his fists, calling on the power inside him to crush the metal frame and send the gunship crashing into the forum.

Then, Nioman summoned the excess force of that move into his legs and leapt skyward, flipping in mid-air and landing a few meters away from the blazing chariot. Through the thick, black smokescreen, Nioman could make out a small figure stumbling towards him.

"What's going on?" coughed Luminara as she reached Nioman, "I thought those were Republic ships."

"They are," said Nioman, picking the child up and holding her to his chest, "I don't know what's going on but I need to keep you safe."

"You need to help the others," she said, her eyes boring into him.

"I'm not leaving you again," Nioman protested.

"You won't have to," Luminara said, climbing onto Nioman's back.

"Be careful," warned Nioman as he advanced towards the wreckage, a protective hand over his face, "I don't want you being hit while I'm distracted."

"The only reason you'll be distracted is if you keep arguing with me," Luminara pointed out.

"Point taken," sighed Nioman as he reached the remains of the chariot, empty save for a few unmoving and charred bodies, corpses that he very much hoped did not belong to Reyna or Enoran.

Nioman would have liked to have been able to search more but he could hear the rumbling of another gunship swooping in and it was more important right now to defend his remaining comrades then to worry about Enoran and Reyna. If they were still alive they would need to keep it that way without help from Nioman. He dashed out of the flaming rubble in time to see armored Republic militia entering the plaza. But how? The Republic didn't keep a standing army of any kind...these must have been special recruits or something. Worse yet, they were accompanied by the royal guard of Queen Rianna. If Nioman didn't do something and fast, the whole rebellion would be wiped out before the sun set.

Then he saw Reyna; her cape in tatters and one arm tied to her chest, the other still holding one of her pistols as she fired from the head of a bedraggled cluster of rebels. Nioman ran to join forces with them but was forced to amend his course in the wake of another volley from the gunships overhead. If there could be any hope of salvaging a victory, or even escaping this deathtrap, the gunships would need to be his top priority, if he could take those out the foot soldiers would be easy pickings...at least until Rianna's main army returned, which was sure to happen at any moment.

Nioman sprinted towards the statue he had stood underneath earlier. If he could get enough height, he would have a possibility of jumping to one of the gunships and using it to fire on the others. He leaped onto the base of the monument, then, without ceasing his motion, began to climb, using the Force to cover distances that he otherwise would have been unable to. However, as his hand grasped the head of the statue, he heard a blast below and felt the structure rumble. Next thing he knew, the massive bronzium construct was tipping over as pieces fell and crashed all around. Nioman's own hold slipped and he fell, tumbling among the statue's remains.

He turned about in midair, pulling Luminara from his back and using the Force to halt her own fall and make her hover slowly downward. This concentration, however, caused his own landing to be hardly softened and he smashed into the rubble, soon followed by Luminara who plopped right on top of him. As he tried to stand, Nioman realized that his leg was pinned, also that a heavily armed Seletian guard was closing in on him. Oh Sith, of all the times to be attacked. He attempted to raise his lightsaber but his arm was responding too slowly, he'd never be able to parry the oncoming blow. He heard a blaster rifle going off and the soldier fell, in his place stood a blond-haired man in a red coat.

"Enoran!" exclaimed Nioman, "I feared you had been taken out by the blast."

"Not quite," chuckled Enoran, before his frown returned and the light left his eyes, "now let's get you out of here and back into the conflict."

Enoran, his jacket stained in blood and dust and his face haggard, helped Nioman free as Luminara reached into the medkit she had been given and began poking around in it. At first, Nioman was unsure of what she was doing until pain seared up his leg as he put wight on it, nearly forcing him back on the ground.

"You should both get bandaged before going out to fight again," said Luminara, even as she began wrapping Nioman's wounds."

"No time," grimaced Enoran and even as he said it, his point was punctuated by an approaching band of Republic militia.

"Look, there's the Jedi!" shouted the leader of the group, causing the uniformed men to alter their course and advance towards Nioman.

Nioman lifted his lightsaber in defense but no shots were fired towards him, "Stop!" he shouted at the Republic men, "you don't know what you're doing. You're fighting on the wrong side."

No response came. Instead, the militia lifted their rifles and fired, but not at Nioman. Beside him, Enoran fell, his body riddled in blaster fire. Nioman heard Luminara screaming behind him as he charged. It was over fast. Stun bolts flew around Nioman on all sides and in his fury he wasn't fighting properly and he felt the impact as several of the blasts connected with him. Soon, his lightsaber had been wrenched from his grasp and there were stun cuffs around his hands and his vision flickered. His last sight as we was thrust into a gunship was of a burning square, littered with the bodies of his comrades. As everything went black around him, his eyes focused on Reyna's desperate and betrayed face, staring up at him as she staggered away from the battlefield. Then everything went dark and the world stopped.

* * *

><p>Blaster fire...a chariot-consuming blast...men falling...the hum of a lightsaber...Reyna's agonized face as she stalked away...and...<p>

Luminara!

Nioman shot up, only for his vision to dim and lightheadedness overcome him as he fell back onto the cot. His mind raced but his body was slow to cooperate, though after a few moments he sat up again and surveyed his surroundings. At first glance, it looked like the sleeping quarters of a starship, with a small cot, a dresser, and metallic walls that signaled that Nioman was no longer in Selete. His connection to the Force was a little dim but he could tell from that, too that he was no longer in the city, or even on Andmeria at all. He was definitely on a cruiser.

The attack! Reyna! Enoran! Nioman thought back to the last thing he could remember...he had charged after the the Republic soldiers that had killed Enoran...then he'd been hit by stun rays...that meant...he was on a Republic ship. In all other circumstances, that would have relieved Nioman but after what had just happened, it worried him. Chances wee, Luminara was here too, so Nioman needed to make finding her his top priority. In spite of all that had happened, she was still his charge and returning her safely to the Jedi was still his primary mission.

Nioman got up and hobbled to the door, his legs still a little shaky. Fosh, his body was reacting badly to the stun bolts. Fosh? That wasn't an expletive, if he recalled correctly it was some sort of avian species, then why was he using the word in such a way? From the look of things, it wasn't just his body that was affected. Never mind, even in this condition, Nioman could still complete his mission. He punched the open key next to the door but it flashed red and said access was limited. Upon inspection, Nioman decided that it was locked from the outside and that there was a key-card slot on that side of the door. Fine, there were other ways to get past a door. He reached for his lightsaber but the hook on his belt was empty. Fosh, that was not good at all. There was that word again...why couldn't he concentrate? He needed to focus yet his mind kept wandering, that wasn't like him.

Nioman was in the process of summoning a Force-blast when the door slid open, revealing a man in a Republic Senatorial Guard uniform. Nioman was caught off-guard enough that he nearly gave the officer a telekinetic blast. As it was, Nioman just lost balance and crashed onto the cot...not the most dignified greeting.

"Who are you and what the fosh am I doing here?" Nioman demanded to know, somewhat hoping to compensate for his less-than-intimidating first move.

"I'm Senate Commander Marik Grendyll and you, young Jedi, are under arrest for the assault of Republic officers."

Great. Just wonderful. So Nioman was under arrest for protecting his friends. How in the Force was he going to get out of this? Could he use his Jedi status to work his way out of it? Maybe throw his master's name around? In the end, he didn't say any of that, at least not very well.

"You can't arrest a Jedi." he said pointedly.

"Ha," scoffed Commander Grendyll, "your Jedi position doesn't put you above the law!"

"So you think the Jedi Council will just let you do this?"

"The arrest has already been cleared with the Jedi," informed Grendyll.

"What about my master, Ramo Batrorio? He would never agree to this." stated Nioman, hoping very much that he was right.

"In his last report, Master Batrorio informed that you had gone missing and, in all likelihood, had been captured."

In his mind, Nioman sighed. Leave it to Ramo to say something stupid like that. Then Nioman picked up on something else, something even less pleasant.

"His last report?" questioned Nioman, "What do you mean by that? Has something happened." Force, Ramo hadn't died, had he? Even in his preoccupied state during most of his time in Selete, Nioman still would have been able to sense something that big.

"The Jedi lost contact with Master Batrorio two weeks ago," said the Senate Commander, "or so I've been told. Given what we know, as well as theories from reliable sources, it is safe to assume he was killed on the orders of King Gombare."

"He wasn't killed," Nioman said defiantly, then adding, "and what source are you talking about? Senator Galidran?"

"The Senator has gone MIA as well. No, I was referring to Queen Rianna of Selete, she has been quite a beneficial ally."

"The Queen? You can't be serious, she's a tyrant!" shouted Nioman before realizing that of course Rianna was in the good graces of the Republic. The injustice of it sickened him but he continued anyways. "She captured Luminara because of a grudge and killed Jedi children. That alone should be enough for Republic intervention, without even looking at what she's done to her city!"

"So you did indeed side with the rebels, then?" probed Grendyll, taking notes on his datapad.

"Against an enemy of the Jedi, and by extension the Republic, yes." Replied Nioman. It was unlikely his argument would win this man over but maybe others. His reputation with the Jedi Council may not have been good, but right now Nioman had to trust they the Jedi would stand by one of their own, even him.

"Save it for the trial," said Commander Grendyll, turning to leave.

"Wait," said Nioman, "is Luminara here? I need to see her."

"And force your version of events into her mind? I think not. We'll see how your stories match up during the trial, assuming she is called as a witness, which, her being an unreliable child, is unlikely."

Grendyll then strode out, leaving Nioman fuming. Part of him wanted to blast open the door and scour the ship until he found Luminara but that would only seal his fate in the long run. This was another test, he decided. Would he make the rash, unthinking choice and go after Luminara now, or would he wait and save his case for the trial, or whenever he could come in contact with the Jedi? Logically, the decision was obvious but he still spent a while deliberating it. Finally, though, reason prevailed and Nioman settled back down on his cot. He was in the right in siding with the rebels, after all. So long as he presented his case properly and shed light on the real situation in Selete, there was no way he could be convicted. Encouraging as the thought was, Nioman doubted it would be so easy.

**A/N: Nioman really is in a bad spot now, isn't he?**

**Please review and tell me what you think, especially about the first half. Were you ever confused? Did I make that scene long enough? Let me know in your reviews.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22: The Trial

**Chapter 22: The Trial**

**47 years before the fall of the Republic**

The next few days were some of Nioman's worst. In fact, he thought on evening from his cell in some lonely Coruscant prison, he was probably at his worst since Tartania. He felt so alone, more than he had even after Reesa'a death. Clearly, the Council hadn't cared enough to get him out of here and his friends were either dead or completely unaware of what had befallen him. Nioman had been told that Luminara had been returned to the Jedi Temple which provided some comfort but part of him was unsure if he could trust that that was true. He began to feel that his only hope was if Master Saa told Mace about Nioman's predicament, the Korun may be able to do something but that was a very slim hope. Even if Mace could do anything, Nioman doubted he would. They had hardly talked in the past year and what interaction that had transpired between them had always left Nioman feeling cold inside.

When he wasn't contemplating Mace, Nioman's mind fell to the loss of his Seletian friends. It had all been so sudden; Nioman still had trouble they were believing they were all dead. Still, he remembered all to keenly the shouts and the chaos, as well as the pangs in the Force as his comrades fell. Especially Enoran. Nioman had no logical doubt in his mind that Enoran was now dead and with him any hope for Selete, which Nioman had been informed was a Republic-recognized state now. Nioman had never really appreciated how close he had become with Enoran, with all the rebels, until they were gone. Now, Nioman felt that he would give anything to have that life again. Inside him, though, there was a glimmer of hope that one person had made it out; Reyna. Nioman wasn't sure how much he could rely on his last memories of the battle but he could distinctly see in his mind Reyna's face as she retreated from the slaughter. There was a chance, and a good one at that, that Reyna could still be alive. That hope was always followed by despair as Nioman thought of the clear hurt he had seen in her eyes, pain that was directed at him. Deep inside, Nioman knew that Reyna believed he had betrayed her, that the attack was all his fault, even that he had orchestrated it. He wished that he could explain to her, but that was impossible. She was gone and he was here, and it didn't look like anything was going to change that.

Nioman's brooding was disturbed by the entrance of Kassin Macquean, the Cerean lawyer who had been assigned to his defense. Nioman had instantly disliked Macquean; she clearly didn't care whatsoever if he actually was deemed innocent and Nioman got the feeling she actually believed he should remain incarcerated. She was just in it for the money or the fame. The Cerean took out her data tablet and studied him through her thick-rimmed spectacles.

"I hope you memorized the scripts I gave you as I'm not going over them again," Macquean said pointedly, looking down at him without showing any emotion.

"About that," said Nioman, getting up, "I don't intend to make the court believe that I was emotionally compromised and that the rebels had threatened Luminara's life if I didn't cooperate. I'm going to say it exactly how it happened and I really couldn't care less if that interfere's with your plans. If you do care at all about winning this for me then you'll go along with what I say, not the other way around. You got that?"

Macquean stared down at him, her expression unwavering. Even standing up, Nioman was shorter than the Cerean which bothered him almost as much as her emotionless features. After several tense moments, she spoke. "I suggest that if you want to be free, that you follow my lead. I know far more about the Republic legal system than you and I've won hundreds of cases like this. If you do what you're saying, I can guarantee the court will rule against you."

"We'll see," retorted Nioman, unable to think of a better comeback. He knew the lawyer was probably right but there was no way Nioman was going to betray his friends' memories that way. He would have to hope that the court, that the Jedi would see the truth in his words. If not...well Nioman would decide what he would do if that time came but for now he was going to count on being declared innocent.

"Fine, then, but your trial is being held tonight," announced Kassin, "so if I were you, I'd have pretty solid statement planned out."

"What else do you think I've been doing this whole time?"

"If 'telling the truth' is what you consider a solid argument, than I suppose you have, but it is a very flimsy defense. I'm surprised you care so little about your case that would would actually rely on something like that."

"It's obvious you don't think it will work," said Nioman, "but if you want to be successful, you 're going to have to work around what I'm doing. I've already told you how I'm going to lay it out to the court and I think it's in your best interests to go with that."

"I hate to say it, but I'm the one who chooses what case we are going to present and how we are going to do it, not the other way around," said the Cerean, "if you differ from what I say, I will use that against you and you will be sent straight back here."

"So much for defending my case," grumbled Nioman.

"I didn't want to be assigned to your defense but I agreed to do it anyway, so a little more appreciation would be nice. It would be stupid not to work with me."

"Oh, so I'm stupid now," said Nioman, "that just shows how little you want to be here so how about you go back to your luxury apartment and leave me in some peace."

"I'll do that," said Mcquean, "your mistake for not taking me up on my offer," she added as she departed, leaving the crimson beam to block the entrance once again. Nioman knew alienating one of his best chances of success wasn't a good idea but he had grown sick of the Cerean's maneuvers and her backhanded ways. He would have to rely on himself, just like he always did.

* * *

><p>The domed exterior of the Senate Building was bathed in the eerie red light of the setting Coruscanti sun as Nioman was led to his trial. He entered the court room flanked by to blue-robed Senate Guards, an escort that Nioman noted would be easy enough to escape from, even with his hands bound, should he have any desire to do so. At his entrance, the muttering that had filled the chamber ceased, replaced by complete silence save for Nioman's echoing footsteps. In front of him, on a highly raised podium stood twelve people of varying appearances, but all wearing, to Nioman's astonishment, the golden clothing of the Supreme Court. So much for trial by jury. Maybe that would have been too much of a risk as Nioman could corrupt ordinary jurors with his mind powers.<p>

Seated on the balcony that looped around the edge of the courtroom were dozens of senators, bureaucrats, attorneys, and various other people of importance, including, to Nioman's mixed hope and disgruntlement, the members of the Jedi High Council, looking as serene and dominant as ever and not at all fazed by the fact that a member of their order was in such dire straights. Nioman also noted the absence of Master Ramo, who must indeed still be on Andemeria.

"Jedi Padawan Nioman Dokoora," rang the voice of the Supreme Justice as he separated himself from his colleagues, "you have been accused by the Royal House of Andemeria and by Commander Marik Grendyll of assault and confirmed slaughter of eighteen Republic Officers, for plotting against the recognized government of Selete, and of cooperation with enemies of the Republic. How plead you?"

"Not guilty of any crime," stated Nioman, speaking as clearly as he could, "the so-called enemies of the Republic granted me aid in completing a mission I was assigned by Masters Yoda and Ramo Batrorio of the Jedi High Council. I had been tasked with rescuing Jedi Initiate Luminara Unduli from the hold of the real criminal, Queen Rianna of Selete. I found Luminara in the Queen's palace and, with the help on one of these rebels, escaped from there but was stranded in the Seletian capital. I was aided by Captain Enoran Grevvek and agreed to help him rid Selete of the Queen's tyrannical, and unrecognized government. Through some course of events which I do not yet understand, my allies were attacked by Republic gunships. I was only doing what I had to in order to protect the rebels, men who were aiding me in my Jedi-authorized mission. The gunships fired first, I only reacted to the attack. Enoran and the Liberators of Selete were not enemies of the Republic, but worked towards the same cause. Somewhere, this body has been gravely mistaken and I hope to bring the truth of what really happened on Andemeria."

"I see," said the Chief Justice, "it is clear there is some great deception here, the question is, who is doing the deceiving? I now call in witnesses so that the court may make an informed decision. First, I will bring in none other than Queen Rianna Doliq of Selete, a leading member of the prosecution."

"Thank you, your honor," said the Queen, stepping out on a platform that took her to stand near the center of the chamber, "you have already heard the real story of what happened on my planet but it will reiterate it in front of this esteemed court. I have learned how Jedi Master Batrorio and his apprentice here were assigned by request of the Senate to restore order to my planet. This, however, was all a trick orchestrated by former King Gombare of Andemeria. Upon arriving, the Jedi Master and Senator Tav Galidran were executed under Gombare's orders after they discovered the Jedi children that the King had kidnapped. This padawan rescued one of the children but by some deception of King Gombare, believed that I was responsible for the kidnapping and began to work against me. It is my guess that this padawan must have found out the truth behind Gomabre's crimes but became entangled by the power-hungry lies of my daughter and agreed to work against me, even after I became recognized sovereign of Andemeria by the Republic. After hearing of the rebel scheme to attack my citizens, I called upon Republic aid to back up my own soldiers but even then the Jedi continued fighting. Clearly, he has betrayed his Order and the Republic and as a traitor should be sentenced to death."

"A strong argument," noted the Chief Justice, "do you have witnesses to call up?"

"Yes, I do," said the Queen and she proceeding to call out one Seletian after another, all reciting a clearly rehearsed story fed to them by the Queen, yet no one in the court seemed to realize that, except for Nioman.

"It is clear that the prosecution has a valid and consistent argument," stated the Chief Justice after the last Seletian citizen stepped down, "what say the Jedi on this matter?"

"Due to the prolonged absence of Master Ramo Batrorio, the Council is unable to make an informed decision as to what we believe happened on Andemeria," said Master Oppo Rancisis, coming forward, "but we do know the reasons for assigning Master Batrorio and Padawan Dokoora to Andemeria, as well as the distasteful circumstances that brought Nioman to Selete. As has been revealed, Senator Galidran pleaded before the Senate to send King Gombare aid against various factions that were undermining his rule, the Senate agreed and requested that the Jedi sort out the problem. Soon after they arrived, the Council received word that a ship carrying Jedi Initiates from Coruscant to Alderaan was intercepted and the younglings were taken to Andemeria. Due to the tense position Master Batrorio was in, he was unable to leave Gombare's capital, so Nioman was assigned to Selete to discover what had befallen the younglings and to bring them to safety. We now know only one survived but as she is now safely in the Jedi Temple, it can be presumed that Nioman was successful in, at least, that portion of his mission."

"I have a question," said Commander Grendyll, stepping forward from his position beside Queen Rianna, "what brought the Jedi to think the children were in Selete? I thought only King Gombare had suspicious behavior, so wouldn't it make more sense to investigate him?"

Master Rancisis exchanged a glance with Master Yoda before speaking, "Due to his past experience with the planet and its monarchs, Master Batrorio believed that the children would be found in Selete, and it would seem he was correct."

"What past experience?" questioned Grendyll.

"The Council shall refrain from divulging any more information on this matter," replied Master Rancisis before returning to the other Councilors. Nioman was stunned. Obviously, the Council knew about Rianna's grudge and the reason why she took Luminara, yet for some reason that Nioman couldn't fathom, they weren't going to reveal the most crucial piece of evidence in his defense. Fine, if the Council wasn't going to reveal that information then Nioman would. He was about to speak when Kassin Mcquean stepped forward.

"The Jedi might not be willing to support one of their own, but I do have a defense prepared and hope to give an accurate and logical portrayal of events," she said, addressing the Justices before studying Nioman, her seemingly permanent fake smile still on her face, "I believe Padawan Dokoora is still confused on what happened to him, perhaps even afraid yet of telling the truth. During my long sessions with Padawan Dokoora, I have gathered that the child, Luminara, whom he was protecting, may have been threatened by the rebels that he was stuck with after his misconception that Queen Rianna was behind the kidnapping. As such, with his own misunderstanding, as well as the pressure being exerted by the rebels, his own actions may not be such an infringement of the law as he has been accused of. As for attacking the Republic officers, there is a chance he mistook them as enemies and not as what they were. I feel full investigation should be taken into that matter, though of course the trial cannot be delayed any longer."

"I beg to differ," said Grendyll, "when I first apprehended Dokoora he seemed well in his right mind. I am confident he made a conscious decision to attack my men, in full knowledge of what he was doing."

"He's right," said Nioman, eliciting a gasp from the crowd that ringed the chamber, "I knew exactly what I was doing and who the real criminals are. I knew after I found Luminara in Queen Rianna's palace that the Queen was an enemy of the Republic and after I lost communication with Master Ramo, I continued doing what I could to help the real allies of the Republic but apparently Commander Grendyll and his men were deceived so when they fired on my allies and on Luminara, I tried to diffuse the conflict but, as the fighting started immediately, there was nothing I could do. I think the investigation we need to have is against Queen Rianna, the real traitor here!"

"How dare you accuse me of such heinous atrocities!" shrilled the Queen. Good, this is exactly what Nioman had hoped would happen. He had already seen how poorly she reacted when accused of anything so maybe he could catch her in her own lies, "I had nothing to do with any of this, I was simply protecting my lawfully earned and Republic recognized crown! Never did I begin any hostility against the Jedi, in fact I was mortified when I heard how my husband killed that Jedi Master and even more so now that I know he was behind the kidnapping of that little girl, most likely with the aid of the rebels. I insist that this Jedi be taken away immediately before leveling any more of these horrendous accusations against me!"

"Order!" shouted the Chief Justice, banging his staff against the floor, "We shall discover the facts in an orderly and civil fashion. Queen Rianna, I must ask that you take a moment to compose yourself before continuing. Now, does the defense have any witnesses to call upon?"

"No, given the circumstances and the amount of death involved I don't believe we have any," said Mcquean.

"I do," said Nioman before the court could move on to something else, "I'd like to call on Jedi Initiate Luminara Unduli. She can recount how she was captured by Queen Rianna, as well as all the events that followed, as well as testify for the values of the rebels."

"I object, your honor," said Commander Grendyll, "Initiate Unduli is only a child and will have far from an unbiased opinion on the matter, her words mean nothing in a court of law."

"The prosecution has used clearly biased witnesses, why can't I?" protested Nioman.

"The court cannot rely on the testimony of such a young child," said the Chief Justice, "it is obvious that she will support anything you say and, thus, is of no help to us. Does the defense have anything else to say?"

"Only that the ranting and anger-filled display shown by Padawan Dokoora goes to highlight my point," said Mcquean, "I believe that once he has returned to his right state of mind that any further thoughts of treason will not occur."

"And the prosecution?"

"Yes, before the vote I would like to make it clear how inconsistent the testimonies of the defendant and the accused are," pointed out Grendyll, "that alone should be seen as a massive warning against Dokoora's innocence. That is all."

"Thank you," said the Chief Justice, "now I will allow the court to adjourn for a standard hour, after which we will vote, with eight votes needed for conviction. The court is-"

"Wait!" came a booming voice that echoed throughout the chamber as a lone repulsorpod shot up to hover in front of the Supreme Court Justices, "I have information regarding the case!"

Nioman craned his neck to see how had just arrived, though he thought he recognized the voice. Sure enough, he felt the return of a familiar presence in the Force and as the repulsorpod turned slightly Nioman saw two men inside it; Master Ramo Batrorio and Senator Tav Galidran.

"This is a surprise," said the Chief Justice, his mouth still open slightly, "you both had been counted as dead The court eagerly awaits to hear your story."

"I'm sure it is," said Master Ramo, "I hear you have all been greatly deceived. You see, King Gombare is not an enemy of the Republic. While, at first, he was resistant to Jedi aid, the Senator and I were on the brink of getting him to accept Republic involvement when an attack was launched on Gombare's city. I was prepared to defend the King from his adversaries but as the fighting started, I learned that Senator Galidran had been captured, meaning there were hostiles inside the city. In the end, Gombare was forced to flee into the desert while I went in search of the Senator, during which time I was unable to report to the Council due to comm monitoring in my area. After several weeks, my search went cold but I had a hunch on who was behind all of this so I set off for the Seletian capital of Ayreera. Upon arriving, I discovered the city in a complete mess and soon learned that a major battle had taken place only a few days before. That's when I met Herrin Atrokar, who told me that he had worked in the same rebel group as my padawan Nioman and informed me that Nioman had been taken away by Republic ships. Part of me wanted to go after Nioman but, despite what my senses were telling me, I had to believe he wasn't in any danger that he couldn't handle so I continued with my own mission of rescuing Senator Galidran. I spent the next nine days talking to various citizens, trying to discover where the Senator might be. By virtue of the Force, one of my new contacts learned of a suspicious convoy heading for the desert that day. I had a feeling that I might find what I was looking for there and I was right. After rescuing Senator Galidran, I was able to make contact with King Gombare and told him to hold out and that I was returning to Coruscant to fetch aid for him, after which I secured a ship and flew here. Upon returning to the Temple, I learned what had befallen Nioman so the Senator and I flew here."

"That's all well and good but how does it pertain to this case," asked Commander Grendyll.

"Given what I saw on the live feed, there are several instances that we can clear up to prevent an infraction of justice," revealed Senator Galidran, "for one, it reveals that good Queen Rianna lied about Master Batrorio's and my deaths, seeing as how it was her agents who captured me, she obviously knew the true story. We can also now see that she has been manipulating just about everyone since the very start of this, from attempting to eliminate the Jedi to lying about the King so as to be given Republic recognition as sovereign of Andemeria. Furthermore, we have overwhelming evidence that Her Majesty was fully behind the kidnapping of Luminara Unduli, thus showing that Padawan Dokoora has been truthful in his testimonies."

Throughout the revelations by his Master and the Senator, Nioman kept glancing at the startled Queen, who had grown paler and paler and was now fidgeting in her spot and casting furtive glances about for an exit.

"Lies!" Rianna shrieked, "All lies! Someone, seize them!"

Chaos erupted in the courtroom. Rianna seized the controls of her repulsorpod and sent it descended towards a door while her guards, surprisingly armed with blasters, took up positions around her and began firing at Ramo, whose emerald blade was out in an instant. Nioman took the moment to shove past the men that flanked him and snatched his lightsaber from a confused Grendyll and used it to cut his own bonds before joining his master.

"Protect the Senator," instructed Ramo, "I'll deal with the queen."

As it was, Nioman had little to do as all of Rianna's men were focused on Master Ramo. Nioman didn't let his guard down, though, as he watched the Senate Guards scrambling about, some trying to calm down the screaming crowd and some aiming their rifles up at Rianna's pod, though unsure who was the enemy.

"Rianna Doliq," Nioman heard Ramo announce over the dying sounds of conflict, "you are under arrest for Treason Against the Republic, for the murder of eleven Jedi Initiates, for the Assault of Republic Peacekeepers, and for Obstruction of Justice."

Soon it was all over. Many of the civilians had fled the building but those that remained resurfaced after the last of the blaster fire ceased. Master Ramo escorted the now-handcuffed Queen Rianna to the front of the chamber where the Chief Justice announced that her trial would be held within the week. After that, Nioman was formally declared innocent of all charges, during which he noted a disgruntled expression take the place of the arrogant smile on Kassin Mcquean's face. He had been right about the Cerean; she had only been in it for the money and the exposure and hadn't wanted him to be cleared, at least not if she didn't get credit for it, which is exactly what had happened. Under normal circumstances, Nioman might have felt a little bad but in this case, Mcquean had gotten just what she deserved and Nioman didn't feel the least bit of remorse for that. After saying goodbye to Senator Galidran, Nioman and Master Ramo departed for the Jedi Temple. Nioman felt an overwhelming sense of relief as the familiar towers of his home became visible in the distance and as he strode under the arched doorway. At long last, he was back home where he belonged.

**A/N: Here it is, another chapter!**

**Actually, this one has been done for several days but I forgot to upload it (maybe an increase of reviews would mean more timely updating ;-)**

**On the plus side, Chapter 23 is nearly done and may be posted very soon (tomorrow even!)**

**Hope you enjoyed and please leave a review letting me know what you thought!**


	23. Chapter 23: Dathomir

**Chapter 23: Dathomir**

**47 years before the fall of the Republic**

Nioman spent most of the next three weeks cloistered in his Jedi quarters, supposedly recovering from the effects Andemeria had had on him. While he appreciated the solitude this gave him, Master Ramo was taking it too far, to the point that he hadn't even let Nioman give his report to the Council until his fourth day back at the Temple. The one activity he was allowed, however, was to continue with his saber practice, something he readily took up again. He remembered his first session after returning to the Temple and how out of shape he had felt after spending almost two weeks in Republic confinement but after rigorous daily training he felt much better.

The psychological effects, however, were taking longer to ware off. Every night, Nioman was taken back to the burning square and the sounds of his friends dying. Whenever he let his mind wander, he could see Enoran falling to the Republic Officers, followed by Reyna's hurt expression. Why did that bother him so much compared with everything else? She had survived unlike any of the others that Nioman knew of so why did what he suspected she believed bother him so much when Enoran and everyone else had died? It didn't do to focus on such negative thoughts so, like he did every other time they crept up on him, Nioman forced them from his mind, getting up to go to the sparring arena despite the fact that he had been there only an hour before. He was about to leave when Ramo entered the main room of the quarters.

"What are you doing back so early?" asked Nioman, "The Council is normally still in session for another hour yet."

"We ended early today" replied Ramo, "Tyrone's mission report didn't last as long as we had thought and there wasn't anything else scheduled for this morning. Looks like your off to the sparring area again, I thought you were going to leave for there when my Council session began."

"I did," said Nioman, "but I felt like going back again now."

"You were, brooding again, weren't you?" guessed Ramo, "you really should get therapy for that, it clearly isn't getting better."

"It's fine," lied Nioman, "and besides, it isn't something anyone else could help with."

"I hope it is under control as we have a mission coming up."

"Oh?" said Nioman, surprised that Ramo had agreed to let him go on a mission after how sheltered he had kept Nioman.

"Yes," explained Ramo, "Tyrone and his apprentice found some unusual things during their mission to Geonosis, which Tyrone believes may be traced back to the Nightsisters. I volunteered to join Tyrone and his padawan on their mission to investigate Dathomir."

Nioman frowned. Had Master Ramo really just made such a poor judgment call as to put Nioman with Tyrone so soon after Andemeria? He also couldn't figure out what the purpose of the mission was. It couldn't just be some far-fetched theory of Tyrone's, right? Not even the Council would be foolish enough to go off of something so insubstantial. "How could the Nightsisters be involved with whatever Tyrone saw on Geonosis?" asked Nioman, eager to see if Master Ramo could produce an acceptable answer.

"That is yet to be seen," said Ramo, "what we do know is that Tyrone experienced some strange manifestation of the Force that reeked of the Dark Side. Given that the Sith are long exterminated, the Nightsisters are the next logical choice. They may have no connection to Geonosis but if they do, it is something we need to act on so the Council deemed it worth an investigation."

"I suppose that makes sense...but why in the Force would you have me on a mission with him, especially now of all times?"

This time it was Ramo's turn to frown. "I know there is some bad blood between you and Tyrone but it certainly won't affect your mission performance, correct?"

"Let's hope not," muttered Nioman in response.

"Well, you have a few days to prepare so I expect you to have everything together by then," said Ramo before turning to his cluttered desk. Nioman didn't have high hopes for the mission but as long as he could avoid Tyrone, hopefully it would go okay. Of course, that's what he had said before Tartania and look what happened then.

* * *

><p>Five days later, Nioman sat at a small table at the back of the bridge of the Consular Cruiser <em>Articulate<em> with Tyrone's padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn. They had been talking but the conversation died out as Nioman overheard Tyrone and Master Ramo discussing the mission.

"What do you know of the Nightsisters?" Nioman heard Tyrone ask.

"It is believed that the Nighsisters were founded by a former Jedi many years ago, and that at one time they served the Light Side," said Ramo, "however, their practices took on a darker and darker nature until becoming the form of witchcraft that they are known for today. Supposedly, they serve duality, following both the Light and Dark sides of the Force, or neither. Anyways, some time after their creation, they began breeding with the males of their kind, as well as importing Zabraks, who became known as the Nightbrothers, though were never held near as high as the esteem that the Sisters were."

"Have you ever been to Dathomir before?" Qui-Gon asked Nioman, making him lose focus with what the older Jedi were saying.

"No, I haven't," replied Nioman, "until now, that is," he added, seeing the surface of the planet stretching out before them, "from my pre-mission research I've gathered that it isn't the most hospitable of places, you should keep your guard up for sure."

"Come, Qui-Gon," said Tyrone, standing up, "we've landed."

Master Ramo had already exited the ship when the three younger Jedi made it to the door. There was an awkward moment as Tyrone and Nioman reached it, with Nioman remembering a similar incident before the mission to Tartania which he was sure Tyrone was recalling now. He was about to step forward when he remembered that he was going to have as little contact with the Jedi Knight as possible. And really, antagonizing him wouldn't benefit anyone.

"After you, Your Grace," he said, taking a mock bow and purposefully using the honorific occasionally given to the Jedi Grandmaster. So, maybe he could have ignored the urge to say something and let Tyrone pass in silence but it was too good an opportunity to pass up. The question was, how would Tyrone respond?

"It seems," Tyrone said with some hesitation, "That Master Batrorio has had a positive influence on you," Tyrone observed before himself exiting the ship, followed by Nioman and Qui-Gon.

They emerged out into the misty morning of Dathomir. The red-tinted sun was still low in the sky as it cast a rusty light over the weedy surface of the planet. There was a rough camp nearby, from which Nioman could hear the clanging of weapons and saw several of the males sparring with crude weaponry. Then, as he studied the camp in further detail, he noticed several of them freely copulating, seemingly without qualms for the public nature of their vulgar behavior. Unfortunately, Nioman had been expecting this; apparently the males did this in preparation for breeding with the females, something most only ever experienced once. While it wasn't a pleasant thing to be surrounded by, Nioman wasn't as bothered as Ramo, who was clearly disgusted, and Tyrone, whose eyes were wide as he all but gaped at the sight before him. Someone hadn't done his pre-mission research.

"Is this kind of thing normal?" asked Tyrone, still clearly scandalized by the spectacle before him.

"I'm afraid it is," said Master Ramo, "though I wasn't expecting quite such lewd displays so publicly."

"That's how babies are born?" asked Qui-Gon, causing a barely suppressed burst of amusement from Nioman and a groan from Tyrone. When no response came, he persisted, "Master Tyrone?"

"Well?" prompted Nioman, eager to see how Tyrone would respond. He didn't even care if Master Ramo would be annoyed by his behavior, this was just too good to pass up.

"Not exactly," explained Tyrone uncomfortably, "there is more to it than such lewd behavior and actual reproduction only happens between a male and a female, not two members of the same sex."

"But Master, I still don't understand," said Qui-Gon, causing Tyrone to look imploringly at Master Ramo, though it was clear the older Master was not going to join the conversation.

"Don't they learn all this stuff before becoming padawans?" wondered Nioman. He was sure he had been in such a class. The Jedi couldn't possibly leave something like this for each Master to discuss individually with his padawan.

"Qui-Gon?" questioned Tyrone, "What were you doing during the...human reproductions class?"

"Oh that?" said Qui-Gon with a shrug, "I just remember them showing a video about shaving, it didn't seem very interesting. And then a spider crawled under the door, I could feel her Force-energy, she was about to lay her eggs," he explained with a smile. Nioman could barely believe this padawan, being so enthralled with something as simple as a spider, enough so to ignore his class. Nioman got the feeling that Qui-Gon was a very special Jedi indeed.

"Be on guard," said Master Ramo, breaking up the conversation, "we are entering the abode of the Nightsisters and I do not know what sort of reception they will give us."

The four Jedi cautiously entered the cavern, lit only by torches and by the eerie green smoke that billowed from deeper in the tunnel. They continued onward in the near-darkness until coming up on a cluster of cloaked and hooded Nightsisters, one of which came forward.

"Your weapons, please," she hissed, extending her hand.

Master Ramo gave his lightsaber over seemingly without a second thought, a true Jedi Consular if ever there was one. Tyrone unclipped his weapon and stared at it a moment, probably considering his options, before reluctantly handing it over, followed by Qui-Gon. Nioman didn't like the idea of handing his lightsaber to a potential enemy and he felt a twinge in the back of his mind; apparently, the Force agreed with him. Nevertheless, he knew that he would have to give it up in order for the mission to have any chance of proceeding as planned so he, too, handed his weapon over to the Nightsister, who deposited it and the three others in separate containers while leading the Jedi forward.

"Now that that is done, I will take you to our Mother," the Nightsister said as she led them through the dim passage, "I detest weapons," she continued which confused Nioman, After all, the Nightsisters used various weaponry themselves, "I don't understand why the Jedi carry arms, being peacekeepers and all."

Nioman saw Master Ramo about to respond but just then the cavern grew and another cloaked woman came forward, "Now I present our matriarch, Mother Talzin."

"Charmed, I'm sure," said Tyrone stepping forward and extending his hand, though his words of greeting seemed a little odd to Nioman. Maybe it was just Tyrone's aristocratic way of speaking.

"What do you think of what Narissa just said?" asked Mother Talzin, ignoring Tyrone's words. She was a tall woman and magnificent in an unsettling way. She radiated power and her voice boomed and echoed throughout the cave.

"While we are primarily keepers of the peace, there are some occasions where we must rely on non-diplomatic methods," explained Tyrone, after being nodded on by Master Ramo, "We do not wish violence on anyone but it would be foolish to assume that everyone we come into contact with is of the same mindset. The Jedi are the voice of the Republic throughout the galaxy and while we are not by any means a sanctioned military force, it is often necessary to protect ourselves."

"Well spoken, Jedi," acknowledged the matriarch before shifting to face Ramo, "So then, what brings you to Dathomir? I am not aware of any Republic interests in our little corner of the galaxy."

"We come here at the behest of the Jedi Council," explained Master Ramo, "all we need are a few answers from you, nothing more."

"Why send four to do the job of one?" she asked in her stranger voice, "Are you sure you do not come with other intentions? Perhaps you seek the destruction of the Nightsisters, to eradicate us like you did to the Sith!"

"The Sith..." master Ramo began unsteadily, casting nervous glances around at the other Jedi, "The Sith destroyed themselves with their pursuit of power. Let us hope the Nightsisters do not follow the same path. Believe me, the Jedi are aware of your connection to the Dark Side in your sorcery."

"What do Jedi know of the Dark Side?" asked Talzin, leaning in.

"I could ask the same thing about the Nightsisters," countered Ramo.

"You have no idea what we can do," scoffed Mother Talzin, "but you will, oh yes you will. There is no Dark, no Light, only the Force in its true nature. One day the Jedi may learn this, but by then it will be too later. The Jedi Council sits so idly by, doling out kindness as it sees fit with no gaze to the future, no inkling of what is coming. But I can show you, should you be able to release your arrogance."

"You will have to forgive me if I do not take your words at face value," said Ramo, pretending to be unaffected but Nioman knew better. He had been with enough missions with Ramo to when when his master was concerned and now was one of those times.

"It makes no difference to me, you will find out the truth one day...if you live long enough," she chuckled before her voice strengthened, "You wish to know of the Nightsisters, well you are about to experience us up close and personal. Come with me, and perhaps I will let the little one live. Do not even think of fighting, my followers are highly trained assassins and you are weaponless."

Nioman had been right, he should have known there would be trouble, no, he had known. Why had he let Ramo make such a bad decision? A quick scan of the room revealed dozens of Nightsisters surrounding them. Nioman was sure there hadn't been that many before. He saw Talzin take out a knife and pointed it at Master Ramo, with the tip brushing under his chin. Beside him, Tyrone and Qui-Gon braced themselves, even as the Nightsisters attacked, firing lazer-arrows from small bows and strange green projectiles from their palms, staying at a distance from the Jedi. Even as the carnage engulfed the cavern, Nioman saw Mother Talzin backing away with Master Ramo; a minute more and she would have escaped with him. Nioman decided to let Tyrone and Qui-Gon fend for themselves as he used the Force to propel him to stand in front of Mother Talzin, even as he summoned her knife to his own hand, freeing his Master from her grasp. In an instant, Nioman and Ramo had disarmed two of Nightsisters and took hold of the short green blades that they held. Master and padawan stood back-to-back, each standing in the defensive posture of Niman as he deflected the various attacks that came his way. Mother Talzin had disappeared but now the two of them had gained the attention of most of the Nightsisters. Hopefully with that distraction, Tyrone could go after the witch himself or do something else that would give them an edge.

Nioman caught glimpses of Qui-Gon whirling and leaping about on the other side of the cavern but he was too far for Nioman and Ramo to join him; the padawan would have to fend for himself. The biggest problem was their inability to get close enough to engage the Nightsisters, who stayed at a distance and bombarded the Jedi with arrows and emerald fireballs. While Nioman was sure they could hold out like this, the Jedi needed the fighting to come to an end, and to do so they needed to be able to being the fight to the Sisters. He felt the hilt of a blade being pressed into his free hand and sensed Ramo behind him, created a Force-wall to block the incoming projectiles, giving Nioman an opening. Nioman dashed forward, using the Nightsisters' surprise to advance as he swung the two blades before him. Now he was in among the Sisters, catching them off guard and disabling many before they could draw their melee weapons. In his frantic combat, Nioman caught a glimpse of Master Ramo leaping to join him, now armed with two new blades. Later, he saw Tyrone, now armed with his lightsaber, facing off against Mother Talzin at the edge of the cavern. Good, if he and Ramo could hold out a little longer this fight could come to a resolution. Even as he thought that, Mother Talzin's voice boomed over the cavern again, drowning out all sounds of combat.

"Cease fighting," the witch commanded, leading to a ripple of confusion among her people, "I have accepted the offer of surrender made by the Jedi."

That only further increased the discontent and Nioman, for once, had to agree with the Nightsisters. What could have possibly made Talzin decide to surrender? Especially when her people had such a huge numerical advantage. She had been so easily able to slip away before, so how had Tyrone been able to corner her? This whole thing made little sense to Nioman, but he was fine accepting it for what it was. Regardless who it had happened, Tyrone had managed to end the fighting and that could only be a good thing.

"Nice work, Tyrone," congratulated Ramo as he approached Tyrone and Qui-Gon, with the Nightsisters parting before him. As Tyrone came more clearly into view, Nioman couldn't help but notice how unsettled the Jedi Knight looked. That was odd, Nioman would have expected him to be happy, or more probably proud, of his victory, yet he seemed more concerned than anything.

The Jedi emerged into the dusky sunlight with Mother Talzin in tow, followed timidly by several Nightsisters who kept their distance from the Jedi. Once again, Nioman was struck by how strange this all was. Something didn't feel right about it, but he couldn't think of any logical reason behind it. It didn't make sense for Talzin to surrender to just ambush them later when she could have killed them earlier so he doubted that was her motive so what could it be? They returned to their landing site only to see the ship in ruins. From the looks of things and the strange emptiness of the male camp around them, it looked like the males had been tasked with destroying the only way off the planet available to the Jedi.

"What happened to our transport?" Tyrone questioned Mother Talzin.

"Oh, I wouldn't know," she assured though she had a devious smile on her face.

"We can't delay here," said Ramo, "Tyrone, you and Nioman go to the village and try to find us some transport, Qui-Gon and I will keep Mother Talzin under control and see if we spot anything, we can keep in communication by comm."

Nioman sighed. Why did his Master seem to insist on putting him and Tyrone together? Didn't he know that nothing good could come of that? But Nioman wasn't inclined to argue so her and Tyrone went off in search of a ship. The cluster of tents was now empty, a stark change from what it had been like before, and Nioman could say he was glad that he didn't have to be exposed to such activity again. But where had the males gone? He caught a few of the more timid ones hiding in their tents but there was nowhere near the number that there had been before. He and Tyrone pressed on, hoping that a ship would be located somewhere nearby.

"I understand you recently returned from Andemeria," said Tyrone slowly, "how does that compare with Dathomir?"

Was Tyrone seriously trying to make conversation? Could he not sense that Nioman just wanted to be left alone? Nioman remembered the weeks following Tartania, which he had spent in seclusion, shunning any contact with his friends or his Master. Had Andemeria really brought him back to that state? Nioman thought he had moved past that but apparently not. He wanted to ignore Tyrone but that didn't seem likely to work so he decided on a response that would hopefully deter the Jedi Knight from continuing the conversation.

"Let's just say that even being stuck with you is far better than what I had to endure there," retorted Nioman. That didn't sound nearly the way he had expected it to. It made it sound like he was making himself out to be some sort of pathetic victim or something. Force, he couldn't even be honest without it sounding bad.

"What do you think of Mother Talzin?" asked Tyrone, ignoring Nioman's not-so-subtle jab at him. He was really was pressing this conversation.

"Your efforts are being wasted on me," grumbled Nioman, refusing to answer Tyrone's question. The better mood he stayed in, the better focused he would be so why was Tyrone pressuring him like this? Was he trying to sabotage the mission?

"You look like you could use a friend," Tyrone said carefully, "and while our past experiences haven't been all that pleasant, I am still willing to share my advice and expertise."

Nioman was speechless. Tyrone wanted to be friends now? What was with him? "Sith, can't you just back off?" replied Nioman, in an outburst he hadn't himself been expecting, "I don't know what you're trying to do but bombarding me with attempted conversation and entreaties of friendship isn't going to get you anywhere."

After saying it, Nioman partially regretted how harsh he had been. He shouldn't be letting himself get this way, it wasn't good for him. Part of Tyrone might actually have been genuine but there was definitely some that wasn't. Still, Nioman was annoyed that he had been so snappish but Tyrone brought out that side in him. Force, even that evil lawyer Kassin Mcquean hadn't gotten him this riled.

"We have a job to do," Tyrone reminded him needlessly, "and it would be beneficial to be on speaking terms than ignoring each other like you are suggesting we do."

"I'm fine discussing matters important to the mission but I don't need you delving into my personal life."

"Shh," hushed Tyrone, pointing to Nioman's left, "there's a ship but it's guarded. We'll need to sneak up to the guards and dispatch them."

"What's the point of being stealthy?" whispered Nioman, "We'll need to fight them anyways."

"Just follow my-" Tyrone's command was cut off as Nioman ignited his lightsaber and leaped over a tent and onto the guards, bringing his blade down on one's neck as he landed. The others turned to face him but they were no match for the Jedi. Nioman's lightsaber cut effortlessly through the crude metal weapons of the Nightbrothers as he darted between them, using timed strikes to bring down one Zabrak warrior after another. After cutting down the last of his opponents, Nioman turned to face Tyrone, whose face bore a look of mixed shock and disapproval. Now wonder, Tyrone probably would have tried to reason with these thugs, clearly one of them hadn't learned from Tartania. On that subject, Nioman couldn't help but be a little satisfied at the demonstration of how his lightsaber sills had improved in the past year. He cast one last smirk at Tyrone before entering the ship.

Nioman had just reached the ship's controls when he heard a guttural war cry from below. That most certainly wasn't Tyrone. He turned the ship around and caught a glimpse of another pack of Nightbrothers advancing on Tyrone. He raised the ship and turned to face downwards some more to see what was going on. These Nightbrothers were much better armed than the first batch, with weapons that couldn't be sliced through by a lightsaber. One of the Zabraks, a particularly large and brutish one armed with a heavy electrostaff had already reached Tyrone and a dozen more were bearing down on him. Nioman set the ship to hover and set himself at the rotating lower cannon but then he hesitated. He could just leave right now, fly back to Master Ramo and the padawan and leave Tyrone to the Zabraks. Maybe he would see then the foolishness of his overly diplomatic ways. No, no, that was just...wrong. What had happened to Nioman that he had considered abandoning a fellow Jedi, even if it was just Tyrone? Nioman took a moment to clear his head, something really wasn't right with him. Maybe Master Ramo was right about Nioman doing something about the trauma from Andemeria. Whatever the case, Nioman was here now and he wasn't about to abandon Tyrone. He fired the cannon, blasting the lead Nightbrother to ashes. Tyrone took the opportunity and leaped into the closing entrance. Nioman then turned the cannon around to fire on the main pack but a hand gripped his wrist before he was able shoot.

"There is no need for them to die," Tyrone said, slightly breathless, "we have escaped them, they can do us no more harm."

"Fine," said Nioman as he moved back to the main control panel and steered the ship over the village and back to where they had split up with Master Ramo and Qui-Gon.

"Something doesn't feel right," said Tyrone as they neared the spot, "Qui-Gon's presence feels dimmer than it should from here."

"Look, that's them," said Nioman, pointing. On the ground at the edge of the community of tents, Qui-Gon and Master Ramo laid, seemingly unconscious. Mother Talzin was gone.

"Qui-Gon," breathed Tyrone, looking more distressed than Nioman had seen him before. Could it be that there was actually someone in the galaxy that Tyrone cared for?

"They're not dead," stated Nioman as he landed the ship. Tyrone didn't respond, instead moving to the door and jumping down to his padawan.

"It looks like Mother Talzin used some sort of sorcery on them," Tyrone said as Nioman joined him.

"Do you think it can be reversed?" asked Nioman, before realizing he had just asked Tyrone's opinion on something.

"It appears to be only temporary," replied Tyrone, "but if it doesn't ware off, they will need to be taken before the Council. I'm sure Master Yoda will know a way to counteract this."

Even as he said it, the two Jedi stirred and Master Ramo pushed himself up on his elbows. "Nioman," he said shakily, "good you're here. And Tyrone too, very good. The witch...she cast some sort of spell on us, It was so sudden, I tried to shield Qui-Gon but apparently it didn't work."

"We need to go after Mother Talzin, then," said Tyrone as he bent down next to Master Ramo.

"I don't think we have time for that," said Nioman, gesturing to a swarm of people in the distance. Nightsisters, advancing on the Jedi.

"Get Qui-Gon onto the ship," Master Ramo instructed Tyrone, grasping onto Nioman for support as he stood up.

"What about Mother Talzin?" asked Tyrone as he shook Qui-Gon awake.

"We'll have to leave her," said Master Ramo, "we must get off this planet. The Jedi Council can decide whether or not we will take further action once we arrive back on Coruscant."

By the time the ship took off, the Nightsisters were withing shooting range but by then it was too late and the Jedi were flying away. Once the autopilot had been set, Master Ramo retired to inform the Council of what had happened while Tyrone and Qui-Gon went off to their quarters to rest from the mission. That left Nioman alone with his thoughts, never a good thing. Normally, if in this situation, Nioman would set himself to some activity before the brooding could start but alone on the tiny Dathomirian ship, with nothing to occupy himself with, his mind quickly wandered back to Andemeria and back though the same routine it had followed most every day since Nioman had returned to Coruscant. The memories hadn't been conquered; far from. They were still fully active and fulyl able to torment him.

**A/N: I know, I know, I said I would have a chapter up quickly but I ran into writer's block which stalled my progress and now the chapter got out of hand so I split it into two, this being the first one, meaning that I should have another chapter out tomorrow, Force willing.**

**Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!**


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